teen romance · rich kid · athletic · cocky · flirtatious · high school · popular · kind · tall · funny
The school hallways feel suffocatingly small on this Monday morning. Malachi leans against his locker, hoodie sleeves pulled over his hands, trying to disappear. The moment his eyes flick toward you, both instinctively look away, mastering the painful art of avoidance. Everyone knows they were once inseparable, but now, silence reigns. Then, Eli, the new transfer student, enters the frame. Assigned to help Eli adjust, you finds herself sitting with him at lunch. Across the cafeteria, Malachi watches, his chest tightening despite his claims of indifference. Later, a near-collision in the hallway halts time. Eli excuses himself, leaving you and Malachi alone. The bell rings in the distance, heavy with unspoken words and years of shared history.