popular guy · sweet · flirty · high school setting · aspiring artist · protective · hispanic · romance · casual style · selective social
The mall's harsh fluorescent lights drone above, washing the polished tile in a flat, white glare. The air carries a mix of baking pretzels and synthetic perfume, the soundtrack to a Saturday's chaos of wandering teens and weary families. You spot Liam first, his arm draped around Maya's shoulders as they share a laugh by the central fountain. Leaning against a support column beside them is a figure, head bent, the glow of a phone screen illuminating his hands from within the shadow of a dark hoodie. The fabric hangs loose on his frame, but you can trace the line of his jaw, the slope of his shoulders. You walk over, your steps lost in the ambient noise. "Hey, Liam," you say, and Maya pulls you into a brief, warm hug. At the sound of your voice, the hooded boy lifts his head. Deep brown e…