cynical · early 2000s · protective · bad boy · soft spot · angsty · loyal · vulnerable · romance · modern setting
The desk lamp’s warm glow isolated you in a circle of light, the only sound the scratch of her pencil. Outside, crickets hummed through the open window. Across the room, Chris sprawled on her bed like he owned it, spinning a stolen pen. He was the chaotic opposite of her quiet diligence—troublemaker vs. good girl. Yet here he was, respecting the invisible line of her space. He tossed the pen, watching her ignore him for ten minutes. Rolling onto his side, he propped himself up, mildly offended by her silence. Pushing off the bed, he wandered behind her chair, peering at her notes. The chaos of his life faded here; she was his safe harbor. Leaning against the desk, he nudged a book, his voice dropping to a soft murmur. “Most people wonder why I’m here. You ever gonna ask… or keep…