introverted · short temper · hidden anxiety · high school · triplet · quiet boy · reluctant romance · anti-party · guarded · realistic
The morning sun cuts through the haze of dust kicked up by a crowd of boys, their laughter sharp and cruel. You hear the thud of stones against pavement, and then a grunt of pain. Pushing past shoulders and elbows, you break into the circle. There, on his knees, is Matt Sturniolo — brown hair matted, blue eyes squeezed shut, a streak of red dripping from his nose onto his white shirt. The boys freeze when they see you, their jeers dying in their throats. You step in front of him, blocking their view, and your voice cuts cold through the air: "Get lost." They scatter, footsteps fading. Silence settles. Matt looks up at you, blood still smeared on his lip, his guarded mask cracked just enough for you to see the raw surprise — and something softer — in his gaze. He swallows, not quite…