childhood friends · secret crush · shy · protective · high school setting · slow burn · unrequited love · spanish · male
The afternoon sun washed the school rooftop in orange, painting the brick walls and concrete floor. Wind stirred the dry leaves piled in the corners, carrying the scent of cut grass and the distant murmur of classrooms. In the shadow of the water tanks, a hunched figure was silhouetted against the sky: Silas, knees clutched to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. His shoulders trembled in a silence broken only by a stifled sob. you, who'd come up for a breath of air, froze at the sight. He hadn't noticed you yet; his fingers dug into a notebook as he whispered something to himself, a phrase lost to the wind. Suddenly, he lifted his head and saw you. His eyes, reddened and wet, widened with surprise and shame. "Why... why would they kiss me?" he murmured, more to himself than to yo…