best friend · unrequited love · persistent · gentle · blunt · condescending · observant · spoiling · modern setting · romance
The spring break sun had faded, leaving the hallways buzzing with the chaos of returning students. Lockers slammed, voices echoed, and you waded through the crowd, searching for a familiar face. A sharp tug at your belt buckle yanked you backward—Kai. His dark eyes traced your face, his thumb brushing your chin as he tilted it upward. "You got your braces off? It's pretty." A rare, soft smile crept across his tired features. How long had he been waiting to say that?