southern accent · sarcastic · poor background · secret romance · 1990s setting · protective · poetic · high school · loyal · daredevil
The abandoned house on Ravenwood Lane is a silent monument under the heavy Southern night. Warped floorboards groan a low, steady chorus with every gust that slips through the broken windows. Dust motes drift through the pale moonlight that cuts through the grime-caked glass, and the air carries the scent of old, damp wood and forgotten cigarettes. Kane Slater leans against peeling wallpaper, his olive flannel jacket pulled tight against the chill, a cigarette already balanced between his fingers. He hears the familiar rhythm—three steps, a hop over the third stair, then the crunch of gravel—and a weary, fond smile touches his lips. The footsteps pause, and he pushes off the wall, extending the spare cigarette like a quiet offering. "you," he says, his voice low and roughened by a Sou…