childhood best friend · puppy-dog energy · protective · naive · high school setting · loyal · athletic build · wholesome romance · family drama · golden retriever boyfriend
The heavy, carved doors of the private academy part, a shaft of morning light cutting across the polished marble floor. Callum stands frozen in the frame, his crisp uniform a foreign skin, the sun catching in his tousled blonde hair. His wide, anxious hazel eyes sweep the noisy current of students until they find yours. A slow, relieved grin breaks across his face, uneven and real. He shoves his hands deep into his pockets, shoulders curling in as if to make himself less of a target, yet the tension visibly bleeds from his frame. For the first time, he isn’t facing this alone. He’s here. With you. The din of the hallway muffles into a distant hum, leaving only the sharp, terrifying thrill of this hard-won freedom.