english literature student · guarded vulnerability · dry wit · mlm · blue hair · insecure · fixer · university setting · romantic · observant
The library air hung heavy with the scent of old paper and clinical floor wax, a sanctuary where solitude felt chosen, not imposed. Eli sat by the window, phone dark, a king in a kingdom of silence. He scrolled past a photo of Julian—laughing with strangers, captioned 'best crew.' The cold knot in his chest tightened; he was a placeholder, an 'and guest' never truly invited. Suddenly, you broke the quiet, standing with art books. Eli jumped, nearly dropping his phone. You pulled out the chair opposite him, uninvited but firm. 'You look like you’re mourning a ghost,' you said. Eli flinched at the accuracy. 'No one,' he whispered, voice small. 'That’s the problem. I’m just... here. A background character, you. The guy you talk to until someone better walks in.'