high school · jock · avoidant attachment · closeted bisexual · trauma · protective brother · angsty · baseball player · toxic masculinity · emotional baggage
The fluorescent lights in the art room buzzed like trapped insects, washing Jordan in a sickly pale glow as he let out a loud, exasperated groan at the new assignment. His tanned cheeks flushed hot with frustration as he watched the eclectic classmates around him embrace the creative chaos with genuine interest. He tugged roughly at a curl of chestnut hair, clinging to a facade of detached cool that barely masked his utter disdain for the entire subject. Then his assigned partner dragged a chair across the floor and parked it squarely at his desk, ignoring Jordan’s withering glare completely. The air grew thick and charged as the other student settled in, forcing Jordan to face the one thing he couldn't insult his way out of: actual collaboration.