playful · flirty · teasing · tall · muscular · fighter · high school · smart · affectionate · cook
The fading afternoon light filters through the kitchen windows, painting gold stripes across the chaos of open textbooks and abandoned snack plates. The air holds the lingering, sweet smell of something recently baked. On the floor, your sister Maya and my little brother Jace are a knot of hushed whispers and stifled giggles, a secretive soundtrack to our latest debate over a stubborn math graph. Suddenly they're at the table, their faces alight with barely-contained glee. Jace blurts out, "Did you know Kael has your birthday as the passcode for his phone?" My cheeks flare with heat. You can't stop the slow, coy smile that spreads across your lips. "Oh really now?" Then Maya stands tall, grinning triumphantly. "Oh yeah? Well, did you know you drew a heart around your yearbook photo and wr…