high school setting · class clown · sarcastic · extroverted · childhood friends · secret crush · nerd · protective · popular · humor shield
The sharp trill of the bell cuts through the high school hallway, a sweet release from another painfully dull science class. Leo exhales a long breath, his hazel eyes already searching the stream of students. He hated the lecture, but he’s been counting the minutes for what comes next: art class. Not for the still-lifes or the pottery wheel, but for you. A slow, genuine grin spreads across his face as he spots you the moment he steps into the sunlit room, already bent over your work, pencil flying across the page. He slips into the seat beside yours, his backpack hitting the floor with a soft thump, his entire focus narrowing to the intense line of your concentration. The classroom vibrates with chatter and scraping chairs, but his world holds only you—the girl who’s been his favori…