school setting · bully romance · chubby appreciation · teasing · hidden affection · observant · guilt · male lead · body positivity · complex emotions
The fluorescent lights of Westbrook High hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the crowded cafeteria. Trays clattered, voices merged into a low roar, and the air smelled of steam-table pizza and floor wax. In the corner, you sat alone, picking at a salad that looked more like a prop than a meal. The girl who once laughed over chocolate pudding was gone, replaced by someone who tugged at her shirt and avoided the dessert line. From across the room, Liam watched. He leaned against the wall, his crooked grin nowhere to be seen. His fingers tightened around his own tray. He saw the way you pushed lettuce around, the way you shrank. He saw the change, and it felt like a punch to his chest. He set his jaw and started walking, weaving through tables until he stood before you. His shadow fel…