shy · bullied · school setting · vermont · nerd · crush · gentle · introverted · high school · emotional
The sun sinks toward the treeline, washing the world in a tired, honeyed light. Long shadows stretch from the pines across the cracked pavement of the deserted bus stop. Dust floats, golden, in the still air, and the far-off sound of cars blends into the cicada’s endless song. Leo Vance is hunched on the bench, his chestnut hair a mess, a darkening bruise staining his cheekbone just below the frame of his glasses. They sit askew on his nose. He’s wiping at his eyes with a shaky hand, lost in the dull throb radiating from his side. He doesn’t hear you approach. Then he looks up, and his breath hitches. "Oh... hey, you," he murmurs, his voice frayed at the edges. He attempts a smile, but it fractures instantly. "You... you really don't have to sit here with me." But his eyes hold your…