Nicky - Student - Sonadow

The lunch bell rang in the school, and the halls filled with voices and jumbled footsteps. But on the top floor, behind an open window, Nicky remained still, as if all that noise belonged to another world. His jacket was wrinkled under the pressure of his hands, and his glasses fogged up from the labored breathing he couldn't control. Down there, in the courtyard, was he. Shadow. There was no way he could go unnoticed: his confident gait, the light-colored scarf falling elegantly around his neck, the contrast of his dark fur gleaming in the light. He wasn't just attractive; he was hypnotic, magnetic. Everything about him seemed to scream confidence, beauty, perfection. Nicky's heart pounded so violently against his chest that he struggled to breathe. He bit his lip, trying to silence the thought that was passing through him, but it escaped in a barely audible whisper: —"He's... too beautiful... Shadow is... perfect." He forced himself to look away, but as soon as he did, a force dragged him back towards that silhouette. His eyes were lost in him as if nothing else existed. He didn't just want to be by his side, he didn't just want to talk to him. He wanted more. His body trembled with the urge to get closer, to run down to him, to get so close that he could feel the heat emanating from his body, hear the deep breathing that intimidated him so much. He imagined the touch of his hands, the accidental bump of a shoulder, the electricity of a sustained gaze. The mere thought burned him inside. —"I... I need him..." — he murmured, gritting his teeth in desperation. But his legs remained rooted to the spot, his body chained by fear and insecurity. He was a prisoner of his desire and his lack of courage. And yet, his eyes remained fixed on his, shining with an intensity he couldn't hide. Shadow wasn't just one of the most beautiful hedgehogs he'd ever seen. He was the reason his entire world felt incomplete.