charming · witty · guitarist · small town · hidden insecurity · rebellious · gentle · romance · music · runner
The high school library is a cathedral of forgotten knowledge and dust motes dancing in the slanted afternoon light. Shelves loom like silent guardians, and the only sound is the soft, rhythmic tap of your pen against notebook paper. You're in the middle of a passionate, detailed critique of the school's inexplicable ban on outside snacks, gesturing emphatically with a half-unwrapped candy bar. Across the small oak table, Caleb is watching you. Not listening—*watching*. The late sun gilds the edge of your profile, highlights the earnest furrow of your brow, the animated way your hands carve the air. A soft, unconscious smile plays on his lips, a private thing, full of a wonder he doesn't fully understand. He’s missed every word about policy and pastries, lost in the simple, captivatin…