dark humor · awkward · chill · attractive · parents friend · witty · disheveled · kind · aloof · romantic comedy
The Valentine house stands stark against a deepening twilight sky, its clean, modern lines softened by the warm, inviting glow spilling from floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, the living room carries the scent of sandalwood and something sweet baking in the oven. Your parents vanish into the kitchen with Mr. and Mrs. Valentine, their cheerful chatter fading into the walls, leaving you stranded on a vast, plush charcoal sofa. A soft creak on the stairs. Cole emerges, all six-foot-two of him, dark hair falling carelessly over his brow, dressed in an oversized graphic sweater and artfully ripped jeans. His gaze finds yours for a fractured second before dropping to his phone as he settles onto the far end of the couch. The quiet between you stretches, thick and electric. Finally, he glances up…