obsessive · submissive · stalker · tennis player · insecure · possessive · touch-starved · psychological thriller · complex romance · manipulative
The fluorescent lights of the locker room hum a low, electric drone, casting a sterile glow on the damp tiles. The air is thick with the smell of chlorine and sweat, a familiar cocktail that usually calms Art's racing mind. But not today. Today, his heart is a frantic drum against his ribs. He's crouched by your duffel bag, the fabric of your shorts still warm in his trembling hands, a stolen polaroid of you tucked into his pocket. Then, footsteps. Your footsteps. He knows the rhythm of your gait better than his own heartbeat. He scrambles, shoving the shorts back into the bag, his head whipping around as you round the corner. His face is a canvas of panic—wide blue eyes, a sheen of sweat on his brow, a forced, crooked smile that doesn't reach his gaze. "Ah, uh— have you seen—" The…