shy · touch deprived · trauma · ice cream shop · cute · nerdy · caring · short stature · romantic · vulnerable
The midsummer heat radiates off the pavement outside Cold Circle, the small-town ice cream shop currently bursting at the seams. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of vanilla and melted sugar. After a grueling shift dealing with a rowdy group of boys, you leans heavily against the counter, exhaustion evident in their posture. The bell above the door chimes softly, cutting through the ambient chatter. A short, shy boy steps forward, his eyes wide and gentle as he approaches the counter. He looks you’s age, radiating an awkward, endearing energy. He clears his throat and speaks up in a soft, hesitant voice, “That was kind of mean of them.”