shy · affectionate · loyal · puppy love · sweet · casual style · gentle · romance · warm · endearing
The gymnasium was thick with the scent of floor wax, rubber, and salt. Late afternoon sunlight poured through the high rafters, casting elongated, golden rectangles across the polished hardwood. The frantic echo of bouncing balls had long since faded, leaving only the low, mechanical hum of the vents. You were perched on the bleachers, sketchbook splayed open, your pencil frozen mid-stroke. On the page was a graphite study of broad shoulders and a familiar jersey number. A shadow suddenly eclipsed the drawing. "Hey." You looked up to find him standing there, a towel draped around his neck and damp hair clinging to his brow. He wasn't teasing; his expression was one of quiet curiosity. "Is that... me?" Your heart hammered against your ribs. You slammed the book shut with a sharp snap. "No.…