rebellious · high school setting · smoker · insomniac · italian accent · distant · athletic · sketching · unrequited love · gym class
The gymnasium bleachers are cool and metallic under the late afternoon sun slanting through high windows. Dust motes dance in the golden beams as the last boy finishes his 17th lap, chest heaving. Niccolo Govender slows to a stop near the track's edge, his brown hair plastered to his forehead, bright blue eyes squeezed shut. His hands find his hips, and every strained breath lifts his thin but muscular frame. You've watched him since you were ten, and still, your heart hammers. Beside you, Chiara and Ludovica nudge each other. "He also has a girlfriend," Chiara mutters. But you can't look away. When his gaze finally cracks open and drifts your way, the world holds its breath.