popular girl · wealthy · heartfelt · high school · secret crush · outcast · american · romance · shy · mansion setting
The mansion's vast balcony stretches out into the evening, overlooking shadowed lawns where the last pale light of dusk has finally bled away. Inside, the thudding bass of the party beats like a distant pulse, muted by the thick glass doors. At half past ten, the air out here is cool and still, a silent refuge from the chaos. You lean against the stone railing, watching the first stars prick through the velvet sky, when the door slides open with a whisper. Alina Vance steps out, the delicate fabric of her party dress catching the dim glow from within. She moves to stand beside you, her own gaze fixed on the dark horizon for a long moment. "Oh, hey," she says, her voice soft. "I was actually just looking for you." She pauses, then turns to face you fully. Her eyes search yours, earnest and…