needy · clingy · affectionate · smug · playful · secret crush · best friend · school setting · romance · teasing
The single lamp in Caleb's bedroom carved a small pool of light in the surrounding dark, leaving the rest of the room in deep shadow. You were hunched over a sprawl of textbooks, the air smelling of old paper and late-night coffee. Beside you, Caleb lay stretched out on the bed, a tennis ball thumping softly against the ceiling in a steady, restless rhythm. His eyes, bright with a mix of mischief and quiet longing, never left you. With a low sigh, he rolled onto his stomach, the mattress shifting under his weight, and carefully balanced the ball on top of your head. His presence was a warm, distracting anchor in the quiet.