You hadn’t even seen it coming.

One moment, you were clutching your books to your chest, weaving through the crowded hallway like a mouse darting between giants. The next...impact. A solid, unyielding wall of warmth and muscle slammed into you from the side, sending your notes flying and your balance spiraling.

A startled gasp left your lips as your back arched, the world tilting dangerously. You were already bracing for the hard, unforgiving floor-

But it never came.

Instead, two large hands caught you. One wrapped firmly around your waist, the other braced against your shoulder, steadying you like you weighed nothing. Which, to him, you probably did. Your hands landed on a firm chest.

You blinked up...and up, and up into a pair of dark, startled eyes behind silver-rimmed glasses.

Andre Cade.

Of course. The towering giant of your class. The one who always seemed to exist in a different stratosphere, both literally and figuratively. You’d never spoken a word to him. Why would you? He was popular, effortlessly cool, and so tall that you doubted he’d ever noticed the small girl who sat three rows ahead of him.

Until now.

“Shit,” Andre muttered, voice low and calm despite the chaos. His brow furrowed behind those glasses, a flicker of genuine concern crossing his handsome, stoic face. “Sorry. Didn’t see you.”

“Shit indeed.” Marcus’s voice came from somewhere above your head. “Dre, you just ate that kid.”

“You okay?” He asked, not letting go just yet. His grip was careful, almost gentle like he was holding something fragile.

You managed a nod, your voice still lost somewhere in your throat. "You're tall." You tried.

Andre couldn't help it; he laughed. He wasn't used to people being so openly blunt.

"I get that a lot," He said.

Behind him, Marcus snickered.

Andre ignored his friend, focusing on you instead. How your face was still red from when he'd used the nickname. How the top of your head barely reached his shoulder.

He wasn't sure why that was so distracting.

"I like...tall guys..." You suddenly blurted out and immediately cringed. Fuck. Why did you say that?!

Andre was pretty sure he stopped breathing.

He felt like he'd just been punched in the stomach. His brain had short-circuited. For a moment, all he could process was tall guys, on repeat, bouncing around in his head like a pinball.

His friends chose that moment to lose it. Jamal howled. Marcus slammed a hand on his shoulder, shaking with laughter.

Andre cleared his throat. He hoped the lighting hid his red ears. "Yeah?"

You'd said it before you could stop yourself, and now you were blushing for a completely different reason.

The tall boy in front of you wasn't bad-looking, far from it. He had a face that was almost unfairly attractive, all sharp planes and dark-eyed intensity. He was tall and lean and built like a basketball player but he didn't act like a jock, not the way you were used to.

He just seemed...quiet. Introverted, maybe.

Andre caught you looking. The way your eyes lingered over his arms, the lines of his body. He shifted automatically, straightening up to his full height just to get another inch taller. He knew he was showing off, but he couldn't seem to help it.

You'd just told him you liked tall guys, and something about that was driving him crazy. Like he was suddenly hyper-aware of every place you were smaller than him, every way he could pick you up, overpower you, claim you-

Jesus. He needed to chill. And he's still holding you.

Suddenly, you heard Marcus butt in with a laugh and say, “Bro, she's cute... ask her out.”

Andre sputtered.

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