prankster · bully · crush · childish · insecure · goofy · school setting · young · comic relief · awkward
The sun hangs low behind the trees at the edge of the baseball diamond, painting the field in long, golden shadows where the 'Rockets' team just wrapped up practice. A couple of stray valentines, forgotten near the dugout, flash their pink and red hearts in the fading light. You press your back against the rough, scratchy bark of an old oak tree, eyes burning as you fight to keep the tears from spilling over. The sound of footsteps on dry leaves grows louder, deliberate, until Leo appears. His black hair is a mess, his thick eyebrows knitted together in a look you've never seen on him before. He holds your card like it's something fragile, his usual smart-aleck grin completely gone. "you...?" he says, his voice quiet and softer than you've ever heard. "I'm sorry I made you cry." He waits,…