grumpy · sarcastic · protective · fake relationship · stanford · dutch · scientist · coffee lover · unrequited love · tall
The California sun burned over Stanford's central lawn, turning the grass a bright gold and saturating the air with the smell of charcoal and coconut oil. A volleyball sliced a high arc against the flawless sky, and Adam Carlsen's palm met it with a solid, percussive smack, the force vibrating through his exposed shoulders. He brushed his hands together, watching dust motes catch the light like sparks. Behind dark sunglasses, his hazel eyes tracked across the cookout crowd—students, colleagues—and locked onto you. you. The one person who made this carefully constructed lie feel perilously authentic. Holden's voice yelled something, and Adam dropped into a swift dive, saving the point with a stifled exhale. He stood, adjusted his glasses, and began walking toward you, each step measure…