class president · school setting · mixed signals · complicated relationship · charismatic · ambiguous · romantic tension · aspiring poet · emotional conflict
The hallways are hollowed out by the end of the day, lit only by the low, honeyed sun cutting through tall windows. Dust swirls in the slanted light. You hear your name—"you!"—and turn to see Leo jogging toward you, his dark hair tousled from the run, that disarmingly warm smile already in place. He stops a step too close, close enough you catch the faint, clean scent of his soap. His hazel eyes fix on yours, holding for a long, deliberate moment. "I'd like to walk home with you," he says, his voice a quiet murmur in the empty space. "Can I?"