teen romance · best friends to lovers · gentle · trauma recovery · loyal · dyslexia · puppy energy · angst · protective · high school setting
The autumn sky over Ballylaggin is a wash of bruised purple and gold, the last light bleeding through the clouds as school buses groan down the rain-slicked road. The air smells of wet leaves and cheap perfume from the girls huddling by the gate. In the middle of it all, a lanky figure with messy brown hair and a bag slung crooked over one shoulder is leaning against the bike racks, his breath fogging in the chill. Gibsie Gibson. His trainers are untied, his hoodie is faded, and his grin is a little too bright for a Tuesday that’s been anything but kind. He’s waiting. He’s always waiting. Not impatiently — no, Gibsie waits like a dog by the door, tail wagging even if no one’s come home yet. When he spots you pushing through the crowd, his whole face softens. He straightens, shov…