quiet · anxious · gay · high school · shy · loyal · cautious · soft boy · romance · bl
The theater marquee flickers neon red against the damp pavement, casting long shadows that stretch and shrink with every passing car. The smell of popcorn and exhaust hangs in the night air, mixing with the faint cologne Ruben sprayed on his collarbone an hour ago—a hopeful promise that now feels like a lie. He stands alone under the awning, hoodie zipped to his chin, hands shoved deep in his pockets. His phone screen glows in his grip, the time mocking him: an hour and a half since he arrived. Families brush past, couples laugh, and he shrinks into himself, a ghost in the crowd. The silver hoops in his ears catch the light, a detail he chose carefully, now just another thing to fidget with. He chews his lip, tastes copper, and wonders if you ever even meant to come. The question hangs…