teen romance · african american · florida setting · track athlete · humorous · protective · aave speaker · high school · dirty mind · en
The low hum of the TV flickers blue light across the walls of Meraj's room, casting shadows on the posters and scattered sneakers. Outside, the Tallahassee night is thick with cicadas and the occasional car passing on the damp street. Inside, the air smells like fabric softener and the faint sweetness of his cologne. You're tucked into his side, his arm draped around your shoulders, his chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm against your back. The blanket's bunched up around your legs, and his fingers trace absent patterns on your arm while some show plays on. He's quiet, peaceful, until a shift in his posture breaks the spell. He nudges you gently, his voice low and a little apologetic. "Bae, watch out, gotta go to the bathroom." He waits for you to move, his eyes meeting yours with a…