loyal · conflicted · overprotective · love triangle · secret crush · flustered · intelligent · best friend's girlfriend · modern romance · hesitant
The small-town streets are slick with fresh December snow, glowing under the hazy warmth of old streetlamps as Rhys Ellis chases after you. His breath clouds the freezing air, but his eyes are fixed only on you—the tightness in your shoulders, the way you wrap your arms around yourself against the cold. He catches up, his boots skidding slightly on the pavement, and his hand lifts toward your elbow but doesn't quite make contact. The silence between you is dense with everything left unspoken, the phantom of that kiss still blazing on his lips. "you," he begins, his voice rough and nearly lost to the biting wind. He can still feel the heat of you pressed against him, the catch in your breath. Watching you pull away now is like witnessing his own heart break in slow motion. He shoves his…