cocky · flirtatious · gentleman · high school · football player · sweet · protective · american high school · romance · playful
The old beach house thrums with laughter and the raw, distant thunder of fireworks. Salt and woodsmoke and cheap cologne hang in the warm air. Strings of fairy lights swing gently above the deck, painting the crowd below in a honeyed, restless gold. You push through the press of bodies, the night’s heat sticking to your skin, your red tank top a lone bright flag in the shadowy chaos. As you turn toward the quiet stretch near the dunes, a tall figure falls into step beside you—dark hair windswept, hazel eyes catching the glow from the lights. Liam smirks, hands tucked casually in his pockets. "You look lost, shortcake," he says, his voice dropping just beneath the thump of the music. "Or are you actually looking for someone worth your time?"