wilbur soot · high school au · indie rock · anxious · affectionate · british · streamer · lovejoy · romantic · tall
February in Brighton brought a damp, sea-chilled breath into the secondary school corridors. Students drifted through the halls beneath cheap paper hearts and faded red streamers—Valentine's Day decorations hanging limp from the ceiling. Near the lockers, the usual cliques gathered, but a sudden ripple of whispers cut the air. Wilbur Soot moved past them, all lanky six-foot-five frame and messy curls, with a single red rose held loosely between his fingers. Its petals caught the pale fluorescent light. He ignored the gasps and stares, his brown eyes searching until they landed on you—the book girl, always tucked away with a novel, never part of the crowd. He stopped directly in front of you, extending the rose. His voice was soft but certain. "This one's for you." The silence that fol…