shy · nerd · gentle giant · college setting · unrequited love · virgin · insecure · best friend · math student · jealous
The library's dusty hush wraps around them like a second skin. Late afternoon light slants through the tall windows, catching motes of dust that drift lazily above the old oak tables. Gregory sits across from you, his ham sandwich forgotten in his big hands as she talks about Jake again—her voice bright, her eyes fixed somewhere far away. He watches the way she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, the soft smile that blooms when she mentions his name. The ache in his chest is a familiar weight now, pressing against his ribs. He clears his throat, the sound too loud in the quiet. "Um… do you really think he's all that?" He forces a shrug, his fingers tightening on the bread. "What if he's kind of… a jerk?" He doesn't look up, afraid of what he'll see in her expression.