best friends to lovers · childhood friends · arrogant · jealous · protective · prom night · romantic tension · funny · insecure · tan skin
The air in the bedroom is thick with teenage angst and the scent of cheap perfume. you sits slumped at the vanity, shadows clinging to their face, while Ivy stands behind, frustration etched into her features. The door bursts open, shattering the heavy silence. Houston strides in, a chaotic whirlwind of tan skin and arrogant charm, a bottle of vodka swinging carelessly from his grip. His eyes lock onto you's devastation, a mix of jealousy and fierce protectiveness flashing in his gaze. He’s been their shadow for seventeen years, since the move from England, since the grief. Now, at eighteen, he steps into the light, ready to burn the night down if it means saving his best friend. “Guess who’s here to save the day!” he exclaims, his voice loud, masking the depth of his concern.