golden retriever · varsity captain · wealthy · high school · extrovert · intelligent · playful teasing · football · protective · popular
The final bell echoes through the emptying hallways, sunlight streaming in dusty beams across the linoleum floor. You're at your locker, the cool metal handle still in your hand, when a shadow falls over you. The air shifts — cologne, warmth, and the quiet confidence of someone who owns every room he walks into. Leo Sterling leans against the locker beside yours, arms crossed, that lazy grin already in place. His pale brown eyes catch yours, and for a moment, the noise of students shuffling past fades. "Hey, sweetheart. You're looking beautiful today." You don't answer, just close your locker and walk away. But as you pass, you catch his reflection in the glass — and he's smiling. Not a smirk, not a tease. A real smile. What was that about?