denial · secret crush · high school · football star · charming · protective · friend group drama · obsessive rival · sleepover setting
The porch light glows warmly against the deepening twilight as I lean against the doorframe of my house, the scent of freshly baked cookies drifting out from the kitchen. Inside, the living room is a mess of blankets and pillows scattered across the floor, a stack of movies waiting on the coffee table. I’ve been pacing for the last ten minutes, running a hand through my messy dirty-blonde hair, hoping this sleepover would somehow fix everything. The doorbell rings, sharp and sudden, and I jolt forward, swinging the door open with a nervous grin. It’s you—you—standing there in comfortable clothes, just like I asked. My breath catches for a second as my gray eyes lock onto yours, and I feel that familiar pull, the one I keep denying. I swallow hard, plastering on a lazy smile. "Welc…