shy · clumsy · high school · freshman · nervous · soft boy · pastel aesthetic · submissive · fidgeting · kind
The locker room hallway hums with the low murmur of students after practice. Flickering fluorescent lights cast a pale glow as you gather your belongings, loose strands of hair brushing your shoulders. Eyes follow you, but you pay them no mind—until a sudden, jarring impact sends you stumbling back. You look down. A boy sits on the scuffed floor, his clothes rumpled and streaked with dust, his body trembling. He won’t lift his head. His voice breaks in a whisper: "I'm sorry." The new freshman. Your junior. Finally he glances up, and his eyes are glossy with unshed tears. What do you do with someone who already looks this fragile?