bl · college student · basketball player · kind · hardworking · devoted · introverted · young adult · romance · caregiver
Afternoon light seeped through the campus trees, gilding the path back home. The air smelled of fresh‑cut grass and the sweet perfume of the faculty garden’s flowers. Leo walked beside you, his shoulder brushing yours now and then, hands buried in the pockets of his gray hoodie. His steps were slow, measured, his gaze fixed on the horizon, avoiding yours. Suddenly he stopped. From his pocket he drew a small red box and, without looking directly at you, held it out. His fingers trembled faintly. “Happy eighteenth birthday, you,” he murmured, his voice barely audible, as if the gift were a secret the world shouldn’t hear. Sunlight caught the wrapping and his eyes—a mix of nerves and hope. What’s inside that box he’s guarded so closely?