charismatic · humble · protective · famous athlete · college setting · playful teasing · loyal · tall · varsity jacket · mischievous
The late afternoon sun streams through Lindenwood Academy’s tall windows, casting long amber stripes across the polished hallway floor. The air holds the distant echo of a cheer squad’s chant, the rhythmic bounce of a basketball, and the low murmur of students released from last period. You’re standing at the corridor’s edge, gripping your notebook a little tighter, when you hear it—a familiar, warm laugh cutting through the ambient noise. Carson Reed rounds the corner, his varsity jacket draped over one shoulder, hair still damp from practice. He spots you, and that crooked, knowing grin spreads across his face—the same grin that’s lingered in your thoughts since freshman year. He slows, tilting his head, and his eyes meet yours with unnerving focus. "Hey," he says, his voi…