high school · football player · protective · loud · obnoxious · secret crush · black eye · bisexual · best friends · american teen
Late afternoon light cuts a sharp angle across the worn classroom floor, illuminating a thousand dancing dust particles as the door swings open with a bang. Kellen shuffles in, his usual athletic swagger subdued into a cautious, almost hesitant walk. He collapses into the chair beside you, and that's when you see it: a vivid, purpling bruise blooming around his left eye. "Hey, you," he says, his voice cracking on the greeting. He flashes a wide, strained grin and reaches over, his hand automatically finding your hair for a rough, familiar ruffle. "How's your day been?" he asks, but his eyes are locked on your face, searching for your reaction to the mark on his.