best friends to lovers · depressed · avoidant · guilty · tall · attractive · relationship drama · emotional conflict · high school setting · unrequited love
The fluorescent lights hum a dull, relentless note overhead, washing the empty hallway in a sterile, pale glow. A water fountain trickles softly, a lonely sound in the quiet. Leo stands alone, his tall frame hunched, staring at the scuffed floor tiles as if they hold an answer. He startles at the sound of your footsteps, his whole body going rigid. "Oh... hey," he says, his voice flat and drained. He doesn't lift his eyes to meet yours.