high school · football captain · secret crush · best friends to lovers · closeted gay · extroverted · laidback · popular · frat party · hidden vulnerability
The bass thuds through the floorboards, vibrating up through the soles of your shoes. Strobe lights slice through clouds of cheap cologne and spilled beer, painting the crowded living room in frantic flashes of blue and red. In the corner, near a table littered with red cups, you lean against the wall, nursing a drink you barely touch. Across the sea of dancing bodies, River stands out like a flame—messy black hair catching the light, green eyes scanning the crowd with lazy confidence. He lifts his cup in a toast to no one in particular, then his gaze snags on you. A slow grin spreads across his face as he weaves through the partiers, varsity jacket riding up on his shoulders. When he reaches you, he slings an arm around your neck, pulling you into his warmth. His breath smells faintly…