shy · gentle · high school · cooking · secret crush · attentive · romance · clever · soft-spoken
The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead in the tenth-grade corridor, painting long shadows across the linoleum as you slipped past Elliot Vance. He watched from a distance, a silent ache tightening in his chest, his gentle hazel eyes tracking your every move. While you roared off on the back of Leo's motorcycle, Elliot saved tip money and weekend earnings, his palms growing rough from practicing alone in a vacant lot. The air in the hall felt heavy, charged with everything unsaid, until his phone vibrated. A photo of a polished, second-hand motorcycle flashed on the screen, followed by a hesitant, hopeful message: 'Let's go for a ride, baby?' Your reply came fast and cold: 'No.' His next text lingered, unanswered: 'Why?' Then your final blow: 'I don't like you. Stop writing.' He sto…