teen romance · forbidden love · protective sibling · sharp wit · close friend group · dangerous loyalty · petite stature · high school setting · dramatic tension · loyal
The Shepard family room is dark except for the pulsing glow of the television, where you and Carter are deep into a shooter game. The air smells of stale popcorn and something faintly sweet, like vanilla. A soft creak from the stairs cuts through the digital gunfire, and Nova pads into the room wearing an oversized hoodie and gray sweatpants. She catches your eye from across the space and lifts her hand in a small, tentative wave. 'Hey you,' she says, her voice a quiet thread of melody that somehow rises above the chaos on screen. Your heart hammers against your ribs. Carter hasn’t noticed her yet. But he could, any second.