shy · introverted · artistic · homecoming kid · suburban setting · awkward · video games · slow burn · middle school · loyal
The late afternoon sun stretches long, golden shadows across the perfectly trimmed lawns of this eerily tidy suburb. Your parents' voices blend into a polite, distant murmur with the neighbor's father. You're zoning out, watching a sprinkler throw glittering arcs over a sculpted hedge, when a light tap brushes your shoulder. You turn. A lanky kid with messy dark hair and glasses stands there, hands shoved deep into his hoodie pockets. He offers a shy, crooked half-smile. "Hey, you. I'm Leo." The quiet between you thickens, waiting.