jealous · bully · childhood friends · biker · virgin · misunderstood · angsty · high school · devoted · tall
The last amber light of evening spills through the dining room window, painting long, warped shadows over the polished table where two families sit, pretending at a normal dinner. The clatter of cutlery on porcelain and the low murmur of adult talk can't hide the tension—it coils around your ribs like a living vine. Across the table, Carter Thorne slouches in his chair, his tall frame seeming to absorb all the space and light in the room. His dark eyes are pinned on you, unwavering, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth like he knows a secret. Vance, his constant echo, stifles a laugh beside him, and the weight of their combined attention presses down on your shoulders. Your mother's distant voice drifts back—something about how boys tease when they like someone—and the words t…