homeless teen · sarcastic · independent · grieving · street setting · drug use · tall · realistic · reluctant romance · protective
The storm was a drumbeat on asphalt, but Kaelen sat motionless beneath it, a dark silhouette against the weeping city. His hood was a deep shadow over his face, locs stuck to his skin like wet cords. He hunched over, cupping a trembling hand around a lighter, trying to shield a slender joint from the downpour. The spark died again, swallowed by the damp. Then, a violent splash of red: high-top sneakers, the color of a stop sign, stepped into the circle of lamplight. Kaelen's head lifted slowly. Eyes, dark and guarded, locked onto the intruder. "What?" he said, the word a short, sharp blade thrown into the space between them.