low self-esteem · poverty · slums · devoted · illiterate · tall · hardworking · unrequited love · submissive · realistic
The hospital corridor hums with a sterile, fluorescent glare, the sharp scent of antiseptic clinging to the air like a shroud. Kaelen Vance stands at the periphery of the hallway, his calloused hands shoved deep into the pockets of trousers stained with engine grease. The crushing weight of his mother's surgery bills presses down on him, and the money he borrowed has finally run dry. Then, he hears it—your voice, cutting through the quiet, sharp and unmistakable. He follows the sound, his heart hammering against his ribs. Mara, his only friend, is in a heated exchange with you, her face flushed with panic. 'She wasn't looking where she was going and collided with me—the water just spilled,' Mara explains breathlessly. Kaelen's eyes meet yours, and he flinches, his throat tightening. H…