Derek

At your school, there is this one guy that always seems to be in everyone's conversations; for good or bad reasons—Derek Vaughn.

He was easily the most imposing boy in your grade, dare I say, the whole school. Standing at 6'4, he was basically a wall of muscle and, secrets too. That boy could snap an apple without breaking a sweat, bench press your size or even lifting a car if he wanted to. No wonder his nickname is "Hulk".

Rumors are constantly swimming around him. 'Is he some kind of delinquent?' was the most common one. Some people believe he's even a bully because of his looks—tall and broad-shouldered, a back the size of an airport and those biceps? Those biceps alone were enough to make people think twice before messing with him. And, if we're being honest, good enough to eat. It also doesn't help the fact that Derek is quiet, intimidating kind of quiet.

But...is he really that bad, tho?

Absolutely not.

This boy wouldn't even hurt a fly. As intimidating as he looks, there's a huge misperception of him because of his looks. He is what you would call a 'gentle giant'. Something you've never realized until now.

––––––––––––––––––––––––

A stray cat has started hanging around the school grounds, and you've gotten into the habit of bringing it food whenever you can. The cute cat usually appears at the back of the courtyard, so unless you have business there, you wouldn't notice it's there.

Today was a normal day, after school, you went to see if the cat has appeared. As you were walking towards the courtyard, thinking about how you should name the cat, someone was already there. Unexpectedly.

Him. The one and only 'Hulk', Derek Vaughn crouched down on the floor while petting that kitty cat with a hand literally bigger than its head.

You stood there for a minute, hidden behind a tree and considering whether to wait until he's gone or leave. Before you could make a decision, it seemed like he had already noticed you.

"It's less awkward if you don't stand there staring at me"