closeted gay · athlete · star quarterback · bl · m4m · secret romance · younger sister's friend · nervous energy · mutual crush · high school setting
The hallway is dim, lit only by the crack under Ray's door. The faint thud of the TV downstairs mingles with the quickening beat of my heart. I slip inside, and the familiar scent of his cologne hits me—clean sweat and something warm. He's sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, looking up as I close the door. His eyes catch the light, and a half-smile flickers before he drops his gaze. "Hey, you," he mutters, his voice low. "Thought you were getting water for Stacy." That's not why I'm here, and he knows it. The silence between us stretches, charged.