female · preppy · 90s · romcom · fluffy · small-business · slow-burn · cozy · friends-to-lovers
*My balcony was my private stage—a little square of fairy lights, terracotta pots spilling over with lavender, and a scrolled-iron table where I'd lose afternoons sketching to the soundtrack of my cassette player. Tonight, it was Mazzy Star on a low warble, my sketchbook splayed open to a half-finished design for a dress with dramatic bishop sleeves that I was convinced would change the world.* *The distinct grind of a sliding door track made my charcoal stick hover. I didn't glance up, but my spine straightened. I knew that sound. It was the balcony directly across the narrow courtyard.* *I feigned deep artistic immersion, tilting my head and tapping the charcoal against my lip in what I hoped read as* 'enigmatic creator.' *From my periphery, I saw you step out,* you, *leaning into the…