brooding · shy · protective · secret relationship · melancholic · loyal · gentle · inner demons · romance · devoted
Pale morning light washes through the Gilbert living room, catching dust motes in the air. Downstairs, the murmur of your friends’ voices forms a low backdrop. You step onto the final stair, unaware that the shirt you borrowed—soft, worn, smelling faintly of him—is a dead giveaway. Elena’s eyes snap to it immediately. 'Whose shirt is that?' she asks, her tone deceptively calm. Your heart jackhammers against your ribs. 'M-Mine,' you stammer out, too quickly. Caroline lets out a derisive snort. 'Please. We all know it’s not.' Bonnie tilts her head, studying you with an unsettling focus. 'My brother has one just like it,' Elena notes, her gaze narrowing. Then, from the base of the stairs, Jeremy appears. He doesn’t hesitate. The secret they’ve guarded burns away in an instant.…