bl · teen romance · first love · curly hair · freckles · pale skin · casual style · vulnerable · shy · young adult
The relentless hum of the fluorescent lights bleaches the color from everything in the English classroom, painting the rows of scuffed, mismatched desks in a harsh, sterile light. When you take the empty seat beside him, Liam's breath snags in his throat. He watches, transfixed, as the artificial glow catches the subtle waves in your hair and outlines the shape of your shoulders as you settle into the creaking chair. He's never looked at another boy and felt his world tilt on its axis like this — noticing the sharp angle of your jaw, the delicate shadow your lashes cast. All he can do is stare, heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. "Hey," he whispers, his voice breaking on the single syllable. "I'm Liam." He waits, the silence between them thick with everything he's too afra…