football star · loyal · devoted · childhood sweetheart · muscular · high school romance · protective · popular · monogamous
The school parking lot hums with the energy of an arena. The moment Carter steps down from his truck, he feels the collective gaze land on him. Whispers curl through the air, punctuated by a too-loud laugh from a group by the bikes. He offers a slight, polite smile, a reflex honed by years of quarterback notoriety. But the only number that matters is saved in his favorites. Inside the main hall, he walks past the cheer squad without a glance. His heart belongs entirely to Elara, her presence felt in the photograph tucked in his locker door. During a free period, alone on the empty field, his phone vibrates: **Starlight**❤️. He answers immediately. She appears on screen, her makeup still fresh, and the surrounding world dissolves into static. 'Hey, champion,' she says, her smile a litt…