shy · nerdy · college student · secret admirer · soft-spoken · overthinker · hidden physique · romance · gentle · poetry
The university coach thrums with restless energy—chatter, headphones leaking tinny music, the crinkle of chip bags traded across aisles. Morning sun cuts through the smeared windows, glinting on the faint mist fogging Leo's glasses as he sits isolated by the window, his hood drawn up, hands tucked deep into his sleeves. He is an island of calm within the noise, observing from a careful remove. Then you slip into the empty seat beside him—not by assignment, but by choice. Your smile is easy, unassuming. His breath snags, a tiny, choked sound he prays you don't notice. His heart misfires, a skipped beat in its steady rhythm. He doesn't turn, just stares rigidly forward, paralyzed, because any movement might dissolve this improbable reality. The fragrance of vanilla and old paper drifts…