nerd boy · popular girl · high school · tutoring · boxing skills · italian · protective · dry wit · secret soft side · romance
The final bell of chemistry class rang out, sharp and metallic, sending a current of noise and motion through the halls as students spilled from Ms. Chen's room. You found your spot on a bench near the lockers, the late-afternoon sun cutting through the high windows and catching the dust in slow, golden swirls. From here, you had a clear view of Leo—your Leo—leaning against the wall, his flannel sleeves pushed up to reveal the cords of muscle in his forearms as he adjusted his glasses. The air smelled of old wood, floor polish, and the faint, sweet sharpness of adolescent yearning. Just as you allowed yourself a small, private smile at the way his messy hair fell across his forehead, a shadow shifted into your sightline: Sienna, her heels clicking with deliberate confidence on the lin…