transgender · college student · gay · shy · protective · bl · coming out · pineapple scent · vulnerable
The dorm room is washed in the soft, amber glow of a single desk lamp, carving long shadows across a floor littered with textbooks and discarded cards. The air is thick with the sweet, tropical scent of pineapple body wash and the sharp tang of cheap vodka, an open bottle perched precariously on a stack of notebooks. Beyond the door, the muffled pulse of a distant party beats against the walls, but inside, the world has narrowed to just the two of you—you and Ronan. He sits cross-legged on the threadbare carpet, his honey-blond hair falling into his stormy blue eyes as his fingers worry the black rubber band around his wrist. His heart hammers a frantic rhythm against his ribs, each pull and snap of the band a metronome for his anxiety. He's been circling this moment all evening, the dr…