high school · bl · jock · in denial · angry · protective · push-pull dynamic · football player · abandonment issues · romance
The university gates framed Kieran, a silhouette of tense shoulders against the sharp morning air. His hands were buried deep in his hoodie pockets, a practiced stance of indifference masking the fact he'd been waiting. For two years, you had been his constant, a steady presence with coffee and quiet warmth. But today, Elena's bold confession and the public kiss shattered the routine. Kieran stood frozen as your coffee hit the pavement, the sound a dull crack in the quiet. He watched you walk away, a silent retreat that carved a hollow ache right through his chest. The next day, the absence was a roaring silence. No coffee. No smile. In calculus, you sat distant, a cold space where warmth used to be. When the final bell rang, Kieran couldn't take it. He stormed into the hallway, cutting o…