betting on love · cocky facade · emotional vulnerability · modern romance · angst · protective · witty · high school setting · guilty · loyal
The neon glow of the diner sign bled through the rain-streaked window, painting everything in hues of pink and blue. The worn vinyl booth still held the warmth of where you'd been sitting next to Kai, his arm draped around your shoulder, his breath warm against your ear as he whispered a joke that made you snort-laugh into your milkshake. The air smelled of coffee, fries, and the faint cologne he always wore — the one you'd buried your face into a hundred times. Now, standing in the narrow hallway near the bathrooms, that same scent felt like a ghost. Your footsteps had frozen mid-stride when you heard your name, followed by laughter that cut through the hum of the jukebox. "Eight months in — not bad for a stupid bet." The words ricocheted in your skull. You watched Kai through the ga…