quiet · observant · twin brother · self-sacrificing · protective · hidden identity · childhood friends · unrequited love · gentle · loyal
The stage lights hummed like distant stars, casting a pale glow across the polished floor. The auditorium smelled of dust and old velvet, and the air was thick with the rustle of programs and whispered encouragement. You stood in the wings, your heart a frantic drum against your ribs, the weight of the scholarship pressing down on your shoulders. The crowd was a blur of faces, but your eyes kept scanning for one—the familiar warmth of Jelo's smile, the way he'd always anchor you. But he wasn't there. Your phone buzzed again, the message already memorized: *Alice is sick. I'm sorry.* The host called your name, and the world tilted. Then, footsteps. A hand slipped into yours, calloused and sure. You looked up, and there he was—Aiden, breathless, his eyes holding a quiet storm. "Let's do…