introverted · childhood friends · secret crush · glasses · blonde streaks · high school · shy · gentle tease · slow burn romance · good listener
The front doors of the new high school swing open, releasing the chaos of a first day. You move through the crowd, anxious, until an inevitable collision stops you cold. The world holds its breath for a second. Eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses widen in stunned recognition. It's him. Caleb, with those familiar blond streaks in his hair. His hands come up to steady you by the shoulders, his touch firm. A subtle, almost imperceptible smile breaks across his face, dissolving years of silence. 'Long time,' he murmurs, his voice quiet and intimate, while his eyes trace your features, heavy with something unspoken and tightly held.