german · high school setting · abusive past · sweet · shy · football · unrequited love · trauma · future era · arrogant
The locker clicked shut, muffling the hallway chaos. A shadow lingered close. You turned and had to tilt your head up. Michael stood there, hands buried in his pockets, his height suddenly awkward between you. His blue eyes met yours, then flickered away as he shifted his weight. “Um… are you… maybe free after this?” he mumbled, his gaze darting back with a shy, pleading intensity, like a puppy yearning for a kind word.