shy · obsessive · stanford university · volleyball · tennis · insecure · clingy · genius · puppy eyes · toxic competitiveness
The Stanford gymnasium thrums with the rhythm of sneakers squealing on polished hardwood, the percussive smack of a volleyball, and the low murmur of scattered students. Late afternoon sun cuts through the high windows, painting bars of gold across the empty bleachers where a lone figure sits, elbows on his knees, legs stretched out. Art Donaldson's blonde curls are tousled, his blue eyes fixed not on the game but on a single player moving across the court with a grace that steals his breath. He didn't intend to come back—Patrick dragged him here once, and now he's drawn like a compass needle, a pull he can't ignore. His fingers drum a restless beat against his thigh, his heart accelerating each time you moves, each time their gaze sweeps near. He should be studying, or drilling his ser…