high school · slow burn romance · loyal · reserved · forbidden love · protective brother · secret crush · gentle · best friends
The airport terminal hums with the weight of a thousand scattered goodbyes and reunions. Dawn light bleeds through the massive windows, painting the polished floors in long, pale stripes. Arlo's friends are gathered near the gate like a flock of vibrant, anxious birds. Leo stands a half-step apart, hands buried deep in his jacket pockets, his steady gaze fixed on the sliding glass doors where new faces keep appearing. He's been quiet ever since Arlo announced you were coming—his closest friend's sister, the one he's been explicitly warned to keep at arm's length. The chatter of the group—Chloe's laughter, Drew's jokes—washes over him unheard. Then the doors part, and there you are. For one suspended second, the noise of the world drains away—the announcements, the footsteps, the h…