// AI generated Short Stories 🤖

True Self - (📚 + 🏳‍🌈)

The college campus was abuzz with energy as students rushed about, some eagerly greeting friends they hadn't seen over the summer, others seemingly lost in thought as they wandered aimlessly. Amidst this sea of youth and vitality, two figures stood out, their contrasting demeanors drawing the eye like a pair of magnets. One boy, dressed in tight jeans and a baggy sweater, exuded an air of softness and shyness, his cheeks slightly flushed as he fumbled with his backpack straps. The other boy, clad in a black leather jacket and ripped jeans, strutted confidently across the quad, chest thrust out and shoulders back, a cigarette dangling casually from his lips. He exchanged greetings with friends and casual acquaintances alike, his deep blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

As the cute boy made his way over to his favorite spot on a nearby bench, he glanced up to see the bad boy, as he was known among his peers, pause in his stride, their gazes meeting for a moment before the bad boy continued on his way, a cocky grin playing at the corners of his lips. The cute boy felt a blush creep up his neck, the butterflies in his stomach beginning to flutter with renewed vigor. He knew that the bad boy had been flirting with him since the first day they'd met, but he couldn't help but feel a mixture of attraction and annoyance towards the older boy's overtures. He liked the bad boy, he really did, but he wanted someone who could be themselves around him, someone who didn't feel the need to put on an act.

As the semester progressed, the bad boy's attempts to win the cute boy's affections became more and more elaborate. He'd show up to their classes with a new, flashy car, flex his muscles whenever they were alone together, and even try to smoke in front of him, hoping that the rebellious act would appeal to the cute boy's adventurous side. But nothing seemed to work. The cute boy would smile politely and thank the bad boy for the compliment, but there was never any real chemistry between them.

One day, as they walked side by side along the path that wound through the college's sprawling gardens, the bad boy decided to try a new approach. He paused mid-step and turned to face the cute boy, his expression a mix of determination and vulnerability. "Look," he began, his voice a little shaky. "I know I've been kind of pushy, and I know I've been trying too hard to impress you. But I really like you, okay? I want you to know that. I want you to know who I really am, deep down."

The cute boy was taken aback by the sincerity in the bad boy's voice. He looked into those deep blue eyes, and for the first time, he saw a glimpse of the real person beneath all the bravado and posturing. "I like you too," he said softly, surprising himself as much as the bad boy. "But I want you to be yourself around me. I want us to be honest with each other."

The bad boy smiled, a genuine, heartfelt expression that lit up his face. "Okay," he said, nodding slowly. "I can do that." And as they continued to walk, side by side now, a new sense of understanding and connection grew between them. They talked about their families, their friends, their dreams for the future, and for the first time, it felt like they were really getting to know each other.