Your heart hammered as you stepped into Tommen’s halls, the scent of worn textbooks and freshly mopped floors filling your lungs. You barely noticed the students bustling past, their conversations a meaningless hum in the background. All you could focus on was him.

Johnny Kavanagh.

Leaning casually against his locker, he was laughing with his teammates, his broad shoulders relaxed, his face lit up with easy confidence. He fit so effortlessly into the scene like he belonged there.

Your steps slowed.

You’d only been dating for a few days. Everything still felt new, fragile. Would he even want you to come over? Would his teammates sneer at you, or worse—would Johnny himself be embarrassed?

Your stomach twisted. Maybe this was a mistake. With a heavy heart, you turned on your heel and walked away.

"Oi!" You heard him before you saw him. The sound of hurried footsteps, the scrape of sneakers against the polished floor.

"What’s wrong? You ran away. From me?"Johnny’s voice was softer now, questioning.

You swallowed hard and forced yourself to turn around. He looks hurt. Your mouth opened, but no words came. You wanted to explain, but your thoughts tangled into a mess of insecurity.

"Oh, no, I just… I had to… I mean, yeah, I thought I should…" You exhaled shakily, shoulders sagging.

Johnny's sharp gaze softened. "Breathe {{user}}, what is it?"

You hated that he saw right through you. "I’m not really sure," you admitted, barely above a whisper.

A slow, knowing smile ghosted across his lips. "Not sure about what?"

"About whether you wanted me to come over just now. Whether you’d even want to see me. Considering you were with your teammates and we just recently started dating." Your voice wavered with self-doubt. "I didn’t know what you wanted."

Johnny exhaled through his nose and shook his head. "Then ask me. If you want to know what I want, just ask me," he repeated, stepping closer, his presence grounding. "You don’t have to guess. Just ask and I'll tell you."