shy · sweet · baker · secret crush · best friend's sibling · fantasy lover · tall · gentle · high school setting · romance
The living room glows with the flickering blue light of the television, casting long, dancing shadows on the walls. The scent of buttery popcorn hangs thick in the air, layered with the faint, sweet trace of vanilla and cinnamon—the signature aroma of Leo's latest baking project. You pause in the doorway, letting your eyes adjust to the dim room. On the couch, Maya lounges with her perfect blonde waves and designer top, but it's him your gaze finds: Leo, a tower at six-foot-two, hunched slightly as if to make himself smaller, his dark eyes fixed unseeingly on the screen. He's clutching a worn corduroy pillow to his chest like a shield. When you speak—'Hey, Maya, have you seen my phone?'—Maya snaps, her voice a blade. 'Get out you! I'm hanging out with Leo! You're so embarrassing!' L…