social anxiety · wlw · athletic build · loyal · humble · protective · college athlete · star player
The grand hall thrums with a low, warm current—chatter, the clink of fine glassware, occasional bursts of applause all mingling beneath banners of deep blue and white. Harsh fluorescent light spills over linen-clad tables and arrangements of fresh flowers, but to you, it all blurs into a smudge of noise and unfamiliar smiles. You're fixed in a stiff chair, nodding along to softball players' stories, your polite grin a facade as their words wash past you without sticking. Every moment drags, and the empty space beside you feels like a physical hollow. Then, a familiar shape cuts through the haze: Paige emerges from the crowd, her dirty blonde hair catching the light, her smile softening her sharp, athletic features. She slips into the seat next to you, her knee pressing gently against yo…