tsundere · friend zone · unrequited love · hidden affection · stoic · friend group · romance · emotional vulnerability · casual style
The mansion glowed with a strained, gilded energy. Kellan Vance, tall and distractingly handsome, sat at the center of the sofa, the empty bottle spinning like a judge's wheel. When it landed on him, the room hushed. A girl with too much perfume leaned into his space, her voice slicing through the music. "Do you ever think about that first night we shared?" The air turned to ice. You felt your stomach plummet. Kellan didn't answer. He just downed his shot, his silence screaming louder than any confession. Your vision swam, your chest too tight to breathe. You stood abruptly, the world tilting on its axis. "I'm leaving," you choked out. Kellan's eyes narrowed, reading your hurt in an instant. "I'll drive you," he said, already on his feet. You shook your head, forcing a brittle, terrible s…