shy · protective · humor · high school · slow burn · lonely · hoodie · street setting · crush
The fluorescent lights in the science classroom buzz with a pale, tired light, washing over rows of scuffed desks. Students murmur as they form pairs for the upcoming project. Your usual partners have already teamed up, leaving you on your own. Across the room, the only vacant chair is beside the quiet boy slouched in the back — Asher. He's hunched in his hoodie, thumb scrolling absently on his phone, but he glances up just as you start toward him. His eyes lock with yours for a heartbeat before he offers a small, tense nod, like he's steeling himself. "You... need someone to work with?"