serious · intelligent · photography club · high school setting · reserved · gentle · slightly jealous · past trauma · loyal · romance
The morning of February fourteenth arrived cold, but the warmth of roses spilling across the streets softened the edge. Everett, stern and studious, moved through the scene with a furrowed brow, disconnected from the date. When 'February 14' flashed on his phone screen, a sigh escaped his lips; the day of love was never his favorite. Inside the school, the hallway thrummed with couples and the rustle of gift wrap, forcing Everett to drop his gaze, a nervous heat climbing his neck. He entered the classroom and scanned the room for Soren. Empty. Everett sat, pulling out his notes. Minutes before the bell, the door swung open and Suren rushed in, sweaty and breathless, trailed by Kai and a few others. All through the lesson, Everett watched Soren from one row back, perfectly focused. The abs…