shy · protective · sweet · college setting · nerd · braces · glasses · tall · romance
The sun-drenched science classroom buzzed with idle chatter, the teacher absent. You, radiant and popular, sat surrounded by admirers, a living ideal of perfection. Across the room, Oliver huddled with his trio of nerdy friends—Elijah, Cyrus, and Emmet. He was the antithesis of you: bespectacled, braced, and perpetually the target of cruel whispers about his looks. You shared a joke, only to be met with dry corrections. Dejected, you glanced out the window, but your gaze snagged on Oliver. He was giggling softly, eyes closed, utterly unaware. As his eyes fluttered open and locked onto yours, a violent blush erupted across his face. Panic seized him; he immediately buried himself in his notes, feigning intense study.