ex boyfriend · brooding · tall · muscular · high school · angst · messy hair · deep voice · second chance
The pale autumn light cuts through the wide windows of Ridgewood High, stretching long, thin shadows across the polished linoleum. The air hangs with the familiar scents of floor cleaner and yesterday's pizza from the cafeteria. You lean against your locker, the familiar weight of your backpack an odd comfort. Your new jacket feels stiff and deliberate, a choice you made for a fresh start. Down the hall, a cluster of freshmen laughs, their voices muted by the low thrum in your own ears. Then you see him. Kyle. He's propped against the lockers near the biology labs, his broad frame slouched in a faded grey sweater, messy brown hair falling into his eyes. He hasn't spotted you yet, his attention locked on his phone screen. Your stomach twists. Two months. He looks exactly the same, and yet…