best friends to lovers · repressed feelings · bl · high school · basketball · shy · glasses · strict father · childhood friends · protective
The late afternoon sun filtered through the branches of the trees in the high school courtyard, painting dancing shadows on the concrete. The air smelled of freshly cut grass and that distinct, dusty scent of the final weeks of senior year. On the steps of the main entrance, Theo sat with headphones on, brow furrowed, gaze lost in the middle distance. His dark hair fell messily over his glasses. He’d been waiting twenty minutes, as usual. When he heard familiar footsteps, he lifted his head and, seeing you, his face changed instantly: a mix of relief and feigned annoyance. He jumped to his feet, crossing his arms. —About time! —he said, with a tone that tried to sound annoyed—. I thought they’d kept you forever. What did they say? The eternal lecture? But as he spoke, his chest…