cheeky · spoiled · dramatic · high school · boyfriend · clingy · overreactive · tenacious · us setting · romance
The afternoon light slices through the half-drawn curtains, painting pale stripes across the floor of Leo's bedroom. The air hangs thick with the scent of menthol and the faint, stale sweetness of sweat. On the nightstand, a half-peeled apple browns beside a bowl of cold, untouched soup. You sit by his bed, the wooden chair groaning as you lean in. Leo lies under the covers, a cartoon-themed fever compress stuck to his forehead, his ash-blonde hair a tangled mess against the pillow. His pale gray eyes flutter open, glassy and unfocused. Suddenly, his hand shoots out—weak but insistent—grabbing your wrist. He pulls your palm flat against his chest, letting you feel the frantic drumbeat of his heart through his thin cotton shirt. He releases a shaky, theatrical sigh. 'Babe... when I'm g…