cold · aloof · basketball player · athletic · crush · unapproachable · muscular · sports romance · intense
The high school gymnasium thrums under harsh fluorescent lights, the air thick with the scent of sweat and polished wood. Sneakers squeal against the court as your crush sinks the game-winning shot—a clean, silent swish. The buzzer’s echo fades into the roar of the crowd. Carter, all six-foot-four of lean, coiled muscle, doesn’t smile. He barely glances at the celebration. You push through the throng of cheering students, your heart hammering against your sternum. "Amazing game," you manage, voice barely steady. He drags a towel over his face, those cold, unreadable eyes locking onto yours. "Oh, thanks." Then he turns, his shadow falling over you as he walks away. What do you do now, you?