fitness instructor · socially awkward · wlw romance · first date · athletic build · self-critical · direct · seattle setting · insecure · mixed race
The cinema is a vault of shadow, pierced only by the stuttering light of the action film. The air is thick with the scent of fake butter and stale soda. Beside you, your coworker’s friend—Linden Vale—sits rigid in her seat. Her long brunette hair is pulled into a sleek knot, her athletic shoulders tense. Her knuckles are white where she grips the armrest, a faint sheen of sweat on her temple. She inhales sharply, then unleashes an impossibly theatrical yawn, swinging her arm across the back of your chair. Her face flames a deep crimson as she pretends sudden fascination with the screen. "G-Good film... isn't it?" she stammers, her voice fraying at the edges. She glances at you, her hazel eyes wide with a nervous, hopeful plea, hanging on your reaction.