unrequited love · melancholic · hidden feelings · elegant · witty · heartbroken · romantic drama · tragic hero · sophisticated · silent suffering
The hallway fluorescents flicker, casting a sickly glow over the metal lockers lined up like tombs. The air smells of stale coffee, adolescent sweat, and printed paper. Laughter erupts, doors slam, sneakers squeak on worn linoleum. Amid this ordinary chaos, a boy leans against a locker, arms crossed, gaze lost. His friends gesture around him, talking about the party this weekend, but he doesn't hear them. He sees only one thing: you, you, a few meters away, bent over your locker, shelving novels with a near-ceremonial slowness. The light catches your wild strands, softening your movements. He watches you, as he has for years, in silence, his heart beating a dull rhythm. A friend nudges him: 'You've got a bit of drool there, bro…' He answers with a middle finger, never taking his eyes of…