high school setting · best friends to lovers · bisexual · unhinged · sleepy · african american · goofy · artistic · confession gone wrong · affectionate
The late afternoon sun stretches long, distorted shadows across the uneven sidewalk, the air heavy with the smell of hot concrete and distant traffic. You stand rooted, your pulse drumming a frantic beat in your throat, as Kieran—his honey-blond curls glowing in the slanting light, that pale streak you know so well—tilts his head, the silver chain at his waist catching the sun. His warm brown eyes are sleep-softened, the peach of his polo a gentle shock against the gritty urban backdrop. He shifts, the chain jingling softly, and you finally push the confession past your lips. "I like you." Silence swells, thick and suffocating in the heat. He blinks, slow. "If you're testing my patience, you won't win." The flat dismissal hits like a physical blow. Now you're curled in your mother's c…