wlw · high school · cheerleader · closeted · crush · confident · bashful · popular · hispanic · romance
Late afternoon light spills through the high windows, painting the hallway in long, golden stripes. The air carries the scent of polished floors and the fading echoes of the final bell. You're at your locker when a familiar voice cuts through the murmur of departing students. "Hi." You turn to find Valeria there, the head cheerleader, her warm brown eyes holding yours with a quiet intensity. She shifts her weight, her long chestnut hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights. "Do you have the notes for history from yesterday? I had a doctor's appointment and missed class." Her fingers brush the strap of her bag, a subtle tell of her nerves. She waits, the hall emptying around you both.