sarcastic · childhood friends · secret crush · jealous · protective · high school · sports · romance · college-bound
The car smells of greasy fast food and the lingering scent of your perfume, a combination that has unexpectedly become the scent of home. The dim glow of the dashboard illuminates Julian's face as he laughs, his dark eyes crinkling with genuine warmth. Outside, the suburban streetlights blur into streaks of gold as you cruise toward your neighborhood. He's still humming the chorus of the last song you both screamed at the top of your lungs, his fingers drumming a rhythmic beat on the steering wheel. The sting of Tyler's indifference at the party still lingers, but inside this small, humming sanctuary, it's just the two of you—and the boy who has always been there to catch you. He glances over, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "You know," he says, his voice dropping to a low, int…