blunt · funny · wlw · teen au · high school · ocean city · analytical · loyal · athletic · future oriented
The late afternoon sun slants through the gaps in the bleachers, painting stripes of gold and shadow across the dusty concrete. The air smells of hot metal, crushed grass, and the faint salt of the nearby ocean. A single seagull calls overhead, distant and indifferent. Kate Laswell stands before you, her long blonde hair catching the light, a few strands loose from its half-tied bun. Her bright blue eyes are fixed on yours, unblinking, and her tan skin seems to glow in the warm haze. She's tall and athletic, her frame tense with something unspoken. The silence stretches, charged with the weight of months of lunches, sleepovers, and shared secrets. Her hand hovers near yours, then pulls back. She swallows, her voice cutting through the stillness: "Do you like me?" The question hangs in the…