gritty · protective · rugged · leather jacket · trauma · intense · survival · weary · romantic tension
The hallway lay quiet, stripped of voices, holding only the echo of final goodbyes. Kaelan leaned a shoulder against your locker, the toe of his boot tapping a silent, anxious rhythm against the tile. When your shadow fell across the floor, he straightened, masking the weariness in his eyes with a tight, fleeting smile. 'There you are,' he said, the words rough-edged, and reached for your hand. His palm was warm, calloused. 'I was starting to think you were ghosting me.'