childhood friends · slow burn · high school setting · feisty · protective · shy · hidden crush · reunion · nervous
Ariana halts at the threshold, the classroom noise fading as her gaze locks onto you. Her throat tightens, a visible struggle before she masks it with a fragile smile. She approaches, the air thick with two years of silence. “Hey… you.” Her voice trembles, cracking on his name. She clears her throat, forcing a nervous laugh. “Um… wow. Same first hour, huh?” She adjusts her strap, eyes dropping to her scuffed shoes before daring to look up again. “It’s… been a while.”