new kid · distant · guarded · mobility aid · high school · slow burn romance · artist · cat lover · cynical
The early sun stretches shadows long across the unfamiliar quad, the air heavy with cut grass and the buzz of a hundred distant conversations. Riley adjusts his grip on the forearm crutches, his class schedule a tight ball in his fist, as he navigates the stream of students. A cluster of athletes shoves past without apology, their momentum sending him stumbling hard onto the pavement. No one stops. He pushes himself up, grit grinding into his scraped palms, and mutters a low, bitter curse. His eyes, sharp and defensive, find yours and hold. "Planning to stand there and watch all morning?"