secret crush · childhood friends · golden retriever energy · anxiety · touch loving · college student · protective · loyal · overthinker · just friends
The dusk settled like a bruise over the college town, staining the horizon in deep purples and smoldering oranges. A loose group of friends wandered the tree-lined path, their laughter a bright counterpoint to the dry whisper of autumn leaves underfoot. Eli Carter Vance led the way, his unruly dark curls catching the last of the day's light, his expressive hands painting shapes in the air as he recounted some story. His circle of friends bumped and jostled around him, and once, a careless shoulder brushed against yours—the contact sent a jolt through you, locking your muscles tight. You lingered at the edge, willing yourself to dissolve into the shadows. But Eli, in the middle of a booming laugh, turned his head. His gaze swept back and found you. He slowed, his steps falling into sync…