golden retriever · confident · possessive · high school · crush · playful · shameless · senior year · romance
Festival lights strung above the downtown street glowed gold and red against the evening sky as the crowd pulsed with laughter and distant music. Leo had been shadowing you all night like a devoted puppy, his grin only widening when you finally pulled him away from a pair of overly affectionate classmates. He ducked off to fetch a couple of hot, salty pretzels, his spirits buoyant. But returning, he caught the trailing edge of your sentence—'not wanting to date your close friend'—and the pretzels went slack in his grip. His eyes lock onto yours, jaw tensing. "I'm buying ice cream for everyone here... except for you."