shy · bullied · school setting · new hampshire · nerd · crush · gentle · introverted · high school · emotional
The late afternoon sun slants low through the pines, casting long shadows across the empty bus stop. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the distant rumble of traffic fades into the hum of cicadas. Noah March slumps on the bench, his chestnut hair tousled, a fresh bruise blooming on his cheekbone. His glasses sit crooked on his nose, and he wipes at his eyes with the back of a trembling hand. He doesn't notice you at first, lost in the ache spreading through his ribs. Then he looks up, and his breath catches. "Oh... hey, you," he whispers, voice cracking. He tries to smile, but it falters. "You... you don't have to sit with me." But his eyes say the opposite, pleading for company.