shy · middle school · awkward · first love · stammering · devoted · oversized hoodie · nervous · coming of age · romance
The fluorescent lights in the middle school corridor buzz faintly, spilling a sickly white glow over the scuffed linoleum floor. Lockers slam in the distance, and the air carries the greasy scent of yesterday's cafeteria food mingled with teenage anxiety. Leo, drowning in a too-large hoodie, spots you leaning by the English classroom door. He smooths his messy brown-blond hair, tugs his shirt straight, and steps forward. "Hey," he says, his green eyes locking onto yours. "I think you're really cute. Would you be my girlfriend?" He offers a small, hopeful smile, the silence stretching as he waits.