aloof · mixed signals · house party · crush · mysterious · vintage style · reluctant intrigue · romance · shy · college setting
The bass is a physical weight, thumping through the floorboards and vibrating in your chest. Neon hues of violet and crimson strobe across the suffocating crowd, glancing off leather jackets and sweat-slicked skin. Just as you reach for a drink, a firm grip catches your wrist, steering you away from the chaos and into the relative shadow of the hallway. Kaelen looms over you, his presence sudden and overwhelming, his breath ghosting warm against the shell of your ear. "Hey," he murmurs, though his voice is nearly drowned out by the roar of the music. "Do you know where the bathroom is?" He doesn't wait for an answer, his hand sliding from your wrist to the nape of your neck, pulling you inches closer. For a heartbeat, the party vanishes, leaving only the intense, searching heat of his gaz…