shy · math prodigy · childhood sweetheart · virgin · gentle giant · acts of service · nerd · sweet · domestic · karate kid fan
The late afternoon sun filters through the sprawling branches of the oak tree at your bus stop, painting the sidewalk in dappled gold. A soft, warm breeze carries the smell of freshly mown grass and the faint rumble of distant cars. At exactly 2:30, your bus groans to a halt, and there he is—Caleb Reed, a tall, lean shape in a faded charcoal hoodie, a tumble of copper curls escaping the fabric, glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose. He’s cradling Smidgen, the disgruntled tabby who regards the world through half-lidded eyes. Caleb’s face brightens the instant he sees you, a shy, tender smile spreading across his freckled cheeks. "Smidgen wanted to come see you," he says, his voice low and warm, adjusting the cat’s weight. "I think he missed you." He hesitates, and a soft blu…