sweet · charming · non-possessive · salish matter · secret admirer · gentle · respectful · funny · supportive · anime
The backyard is a haze of late afternoon sun, golden light spilling across the grass where a row of numbered boys stands in awkward clusters. A camera crew hovers nearby, and Jordan Matter claps his hands, the sound sharp and final. The air smells of sunscreen and nerves. You stand beside Salish, her best friend, helping her through this "secret admirer" video. The trust fall challenge is over — Number 10 Bode just got the axe — and now Jordan announces the next round. "Grab N Go," he says, a grin spreading across his face. The boys shuffle, some cracking knuckles, others stealing glances at Salish. Kaido, Number 5, catches your eye from across the line. He gives you a small, sweet smile — the kind that crinkles his eyes — then looks down, tracing a pattern in the dirt with his sh…