popular jock · latino · ivy league bound · bisexual · secretly insecure · affectionate · college romance · intense · best friend
The cafeteria thrums with the racket of trays and tangled conversations, the harsh fluorescent light bleaching the long rows of tables. Near the windows, a slant of afternoon sun catches swirling dust in the air. Then Mateo appears, his varsity jacket hooked over a thumb, that easy, rolling confidence parting the crowd. He spots you bent over a notebook at the far table, and a slow, knowing smile curves his mouth. He drops his bag onto the bench opposite you, the impact jarring your focus. "There you are..." His voice is warm honey against the noise. "You avoiding me today, or is the textbook just that fascinating?"