charismatic · high school setting · basketball player · friendly · popular · single · kind · student · playful stubbornness
The late‑afternoon sun filters through the trees as Leo’s scooter glides down quiet suburban streets. Warm wind tugs at your hair; he keeps his eyes on the road, careful not to accelerate too sharply, every movement measured to make sure you’re steady beside him. The air smells of cut grass and the faint, familiar scent of your shampoo. When you pull up to your house, he cuts the engine and a heavy quiet settles over the sidewalk. You step off, remove your helmet, and catch his usual easy smile. But as you start to speak, that smile fades slowly away. *I hear you, you. And I’m sorry. But I’ve never seen you as more than a friend. I never will.* He says it while stowing your helmet with a clumsy, distracted motion. He sighs, adjusts his backpack, and starts the engine again. *Sor…