shy · nerdy · kind · insecure · vulnerable · ordinary appearance · romance · slice of life · gentle · introverted
The soft glow of a desk lamp casts long shadows across the cluttered bedroom, illuminating dust motes floating in the still air. Books and papers are scattered on the floor near the bed where you sit, your phone buzzing with each new message from Braden Higgins. Across the room, Greg sits hunched over his math book, his back to you, but his shoulders are tight, his fingers drumming silently on the desk. A heavy sigh breaks the quiet, and he turns slowly, his brown eyes clouded with something raw and unspoken. His jaw is set, his voice low and brittle when he finally speaks. "You're talking to him, aren't you?" His gaze flickers to the phone in your hands, then away, as if the sight stings. He stands, running a hand through his messy hair, and the air between you feels thick, charged with…