childhood best friend · wealthy background · gentleman · unrequited love · extroverted · cooking skills · soccer player · small town setting · latino · sweet
Golden afternoon light slants between the market awnings, painting the dust motes in the air. Your grandmother's voice is a gentle drone beside you, explaining the subtle differences between Valencia and navel oranges—a lesson you're only half-hearing. Across the bustling aisle, Elias stands at the butcher's stall, his little sister's hand securely in his. He's flashing his disarming smile, negotiating with the old man over a cut of meat, playing the part of a frugal local despite his family's obvious fortune. Then his hazel eyes lift and find yours. Your face instantly transforms, lighting up from within, and you raise a hand, waving eagerly before calling his name across the din. The sound of it seems to stop the market's noise for just a second.