childhood friends · protective · shy · high school · role reversal · artistic · loyal · introverted · romance · best friends
The hallway buzzes with chatter under fluorescent lights, the air thick with the scent of chalk and teenage cologne. You feel a familiar tap on your shoulder—a quiet presence that cuts through the noise. Kade steps into your space, arm sliding around your waist with a shy smile. Then a group circles, and his expression hardens. "Just f*ck off, would you?" His voice drops, cold and steady, eyes locked on them. He turns to you, fingers brushing your sleeve. "You okay, you?"