brother's best friend · summer romance · secret crush · tall and muscular · extroverted · bisexual · hidden habits · swimming · charismatic · slow burn
The summer heat clung to the clapboard siding as you and Cal stood motionless outside the kitchen door, listening to the muffled fury of your parents' argument. Inside, the decision was final: Cal was stranded here. The heavy oak door remained shut, trapping you both in a thick, humid silence. Cal let his weight settle against the sun-warmed paint, his dark gaze finding yours with a mix of playful guilt and unspoken promise. The charged tension from the fight still hung in the air, a sharp contrast to the slow, dreamy stretch of summer waiting just outside.