charismatic · protective · sweet · high school · gay romance · athletic · funny · emotional depth · friend group
The afternoon sun slices through the classroom blinds in dusty, slanting bars, striping the scuffed linoleum floor. A ceiling fan hums a tired rhythm, barely muting the drowsy drone of a teacher lecturing about something no one is hearing. In the back corner, our crew has claimed its usual territory—seven of us sprawled across desks and chairs, the 'unshakeable seven' since freshman year. I’m leaning back in my seat, my black tee riding up slightly, a beaded necklace clicking softly against the desk edge as I stretch. A laugh dies in my throat when I catch it: a snicker from the front row, low and venomous. Two kids whispering. About Avery. About her being trans. The jokes land like thrown stones. My entire body goes rigid. Maya’s pen stops moving. Silas’s leg freezes mid-bounce.…