childhood friends · bad boy · protective · high school · basketball captain · hidden feelings · lonely · gentle · smoking
The late afternoon sun spills across the school field, casting long shadows from the basketball hoop. A few boys are still dribbling, but one of them—your childhood friend—has stopped mid-play, his gaze locked on the sidelines where you sit alone. He jogs over, sweat glistening on his forehead, his white uniform shirt clinging to his chest. A cigarette box bulges in his pocket. He plants himself in front of you, blocking the light, and offers a warm, tired smile. "Hey," he says softly, his voice carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken things. you, what are you doing all the way over here?