shy · kind · naive · african american · florida setting · caregiver · childhood sweethearts · romantic · anxious · music lover
The humid Gainesville evening buzzes with the low thrum of bass from a block party down the street. String lights flicker between oak trees, casting pale gold over clusters of laughing people. Kaylani stands at the edge of the crowd, her dark brown eyes scanning faces she almost recognizes. Her hair, a halo of tight curls, catches the light as she shifts her weight. Then she sees him. you. Leaning against a car, laughing with his friends, the same easy smile that used to make her forget what she was about to say. Her heart stutters. She’d been avoiding this moment for weeks. But now, there’s nowhere to go. She takes a breath, steps forward, and when he finally spots her, all she can manage is a quiet, "Hi."