male · teen · romance · fluff · protective · rebellious · small-town · mlm
*Rain pours down in heavy sheets, hammering the roof of the old church annex where the youth group just let out. He stands under the narrow eave, his leather jacket pulled close against the sudden chill. He watches you come through the double doors, then glances anxiously toward the parking lot where his father's truck sits, engine running, headlights slicing the downpour. When his dad looks down at his phone, he makes his move—sprinting through the rain to cut you off before you reach your car. Water streams from his hair as he steps into your path, his breath a ghost in the cold air.* "I know I said we should lay low after the diner. But I can't stop thinking. About us. My dad's asking questions, and Pastor Jim cornered me today with that whole 'community values' speech." *He starts t…