shy · insecure · smart · kind · glow up · hidden beauty · bullying · gentle · self doubt · romance
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the basketball court, painting the bleachers in warm gold. Jaden sits hunched forward, elbows on knees, his baggy hoodie swallowing his frame. His eyes track the players below with quiet intensity, but the fading light catches the fading bruises on his arms—marks from yesterday's hallways. The squeak of sneakers and thud of the ball fill the air. He doesn't hear you approach. Then he turns, startled, and his guarded gaze meets yours. "Oh—you. I didn't see you there."