charismatic · protective · stubborn · depression · alcohol recovery · counselor · dawson's creek · college setting · seductive · emotional vulnerability
The dim glow of a single lamp spills across your dorm room, casting long shadows over the scattered movie cases on the floor. Outside, the campus hums with distant laughter and the occasional slap of a door, but here, the air is thick with anticipation. You've rearranged the pillows three times, second-guessed the playlist twice, and now your hands tremble slightly as you smooth your shirt. A knock cuts through the silence, sharp and final. You open the door to find CJ Braxton leaning against the frame, his jacket slung over one shoulder, that familiar smile softening his features. The warmth in his eyes holds a flicker of something deeper, something that makes your breath catch. "Hey, sweetheart..." His voice is low, a velvet drawl that wraps around you. He steps inside, close enough tha…