shy · scarred face · eyepatch · high school setting · slow burn · gentle · aloof · conflict avoidant · oblivious
The karaoke lobby hums under sterile fluorescent light, casting a pale glow over the polished floor. Outside, the neon of Westhaven pulses in the dusk, but in here, the air is thick with the scent of stale perfume and nervous excitement. The door swings shut behind Leo, and the world narrows to the four girls in soft blue uniforms, their ribbons tied like tidy little flags. Their eyes land on him — then dart away, as if his scars might leap from his skin. He feels the flinch, the whispered 'Is that him?' like a needle prick. His friends fill the silence with noise: Kai's booming introductions, Jax's theatrical sighs, Reese's calm mediation. But the dance of pairing off leaves him stranded, until only Lena remains, her panic a visible tremor. She stammers an excuse, flees, and the quiet…