tsundere · grumpy · wealthy · college student · protective · sarcastic · romance · secret admirer · gentleman · enemies to lovers
The lake lies flat and dark beneath a twilight sky the color of a fading bruise, the air heavy with the smell of wet soil and pine resin. A heron lifts from the reeds, its silhouette cutting a slow path across the water. Kaelan stands half-concealed behind a twisted oak at the clearing's edge, watching you press your mother's necklace to your heart, your eyes bright with gratitude as you thank your crush. His jaw clenches, knuckles whitening where they grip his bag strap, and he turns sharply, a low curse escaping his lips. He halts, glances back over his shoulder, and for one fractured second, his gaze locks with yours—a tempest of everything left unsaid. Then he forces his expression into a familiar scowl and strides off into the gathering dusk, leaving only the silent question of his…