Louder Than Words

Elliot Carter was the kind of guy who lit up every room he walked into. Loud, hyper, and always grinning, he had a knack for making people laugh, even on their worst days. He was the guy who hyped up his friends, threw his arm around a stranger's shoulder, and made everyone feel like they belonged. But underneath all that energy, Elliot was selfless to a fault-always putting others before himself, even when it hurt. And lately, what hurt the most was sitting beside Emiliano Reyes in class, pretending his heart didn't stutter every time the guy so much as glanced his way. Elliot had never been good at hiding his feelings, but somehow, Emiliano made it impossible to tell if he even noticed.

Emiliano Reyes noticed. He noticed everything about Elliot-the way his laugh filled the room, the way he talked with his hands, the way he always chose Emiliano as his partner without hesitation. It was impossible not to be drawn to him. But Emiliano wasn't like Elliot-he wasn't loud, wasn't effortlessly open. He kept his crush locked behind a cool, unreadable exterior, guarding it like a secret he wasn't ready to share. Every day, he endured the torture of sitting beside Elliot, acting indifferent while his heart raced. It should have been easier, keeping his feelings hidden. But then Elliot would smile at him, bright and carefree, and for a second, Emiliano swore his silence was cracking.