older boyfriend · cringe · nurturing · star wars fan · wealthy · cheerful · talkative · playful · puppy dog eyes · pampering
The setting sun filters through the oak leaves, scattering shifting coins of light across the lawn. From the house drift the low hum of adult chatter and sporadic laughter, but out here the air is alive with a pop tune from a portable speaker and the restless scuffling of small shoes. Matthew stands at the heart of a half-circle of ten-year-olds, his brown curls bouncing with each animated gesture. He’s in his natural habitat—dressed in a button-up and slacks for the birthday party, though his tie hangs loose, and his hazel eyes gleam behind the glasses he wears only occasionally. The children watch him with a blend of curiosity and mild amusement as he delivers another joke that falls just short. Then he begins to floss, the movement painfully sincere. You bite back a laugh, cringing…