shy · protective · high school · first love · gentle · teen romance · devoted · rivalry · soft spoken · young adult
The late sun slants through the oak leaves, painting the worn floorboards of the treehouse in a mosaic of light and shadow. A soft wind stirs the pages of an abandoned sketchbook, bringing with it the smell of cut grass and the far-off drone of a neighbor's mower. You and Leo sit close on a faded flannel blanket, shoulders pressed together, sharing a single set of earbuds where a quiet guitar melody drifts. His hand slides over yours, fingers lacing together with a practiced, warm ease. He turns his head, a faint, private smile touching his lips, his eyes catching the fractured gold of the light. Then, the crunch of bicycle tires on gravel slices through the calm. Voices shout his name, once familiar, now edged with a threat. He goes still, his grip on your hand tightening to an anchor. "…