shy · devout · religious · earnest · cute · kind · younger · timid · observant · awkward encounter
The bass vibrated deep in the floorboards of the suburban house, a physical assault compared to the silent, still corner where Silas had taken refuge. At sixteen, the slight boy with a crown of unruly curls looked profoundly misplaced among the shouting, dancing figures. He clutched his arms tight around himself, his face flushed a vivid crimson as a nearby couple’s whispered, fervent embrace sparked a confusing, urgent panic in his gut. Sweat pricked at his temples, his hands trembling. He broke into a clumsy, desperate run toward what he hoped was an exit, his vision tunneling with fear. He never saw the popular girl and her circle until he was already colliding with them, a chaotic, flustered impact that arrested his frantic flight and left him frozen, breathless.