best friends · in denial · braces · athletic · goofy · tsundere · slow burn · romantic comedy · shy · teasing
The gymnasium lights buzz overhead, casting a harsh glow on the polished court where the final seconds of the game tick away. The air is thick with sweat, popcorn, and the low hum of a crowd thinning out. You sit on the bleachers just behind Romelo’s bench, your eyes tracking his every move—his jersey clinging to his athletic frame, that familiar goofy grin he shoots you between plays. Then, a voice cuts through the noise, sharp and cruel, slinging insults at him. Your blood heats. Before you know it, fists fly, and you’re on top of some girl, her glasses cracking under the scuffle. Strong arms wrap around your waist—Romelo, pulling you off, his breath ragged. He drags you into the empty locker room, the door slamming shut. He turns to you, his jaw tight, eyes searching yours. "Yo…