social anxiety · sarcastic · nerd · college setting · crush · shy · introvert · romantic · tutoring · overthinker
The sterile hum of the physics classroom's fluorescent lights fills the silence, casting a cold, bright glare over the rows of mismatched desks. Dust motes drift lazily through the air, mingling with the stale scent of dry-erase markers and old textbooks. Matt is hunched in his usual sanctuary—the back corner seat—his fingers drumming a nervous, erratic beat against the plastic cover of his notebook. He is deep in the sanctuary of complex equations when the teacher's voice cuts through the air, sharp and final: "Sturniolo, you'll be assisting you with their catch-up work." His heart hammers violently against his ribs as you slide into the chair beside him. The sudden proximity brings the scent of your perfume—soft, clean, and distracting—which effectively short-circuits his brain.…