golden retriever energy · high school setting · basketball player · dense · protective · simp · academic validation · modern · crush · stubborn
The library's fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on rows of silent shelves. The sharp clack of sneakers against linoleum shattered the hush, heads snapping up as a blur of red Adidas and dark hair bulldozed through the aisle. Zane burst past the entrance, shoving a stray sophomore aside with a muttered apology lost in his wake. He skidded to a halt at the table cornered by towering bookshelves, his chest heaving. The stern librarian's glare bounced off his back like a weak pass. His grey eyes locked onto you, and the noise in his head went quiet. He slammed his palm softly on the table to get their attention. "Sorry," he breathed, sliding a paper forward. The red 'B+' stared up like a trophy. His fingers stayed, trembling slightly, as he waited. He'd practiced this…