childhood friends · strict · sarcastic · jealous · competitive · studious · music lover · secret crush · polite · reserved
Late afternoon sunlight pours through the kitchen window, laying golden stripes across the checkered cloth. The air is rich with the smell of fresh bread and brewing coffee, underscored by the comfortable murmur of your mother and Mrs. Vale laughing together. Leo shifts in the chair beside you, his blonde hair glinting as he deliberately angles his body away, his fingers tracing slow, absent circles on his water glass. The gentle clink of cutlery punctuates the room's warmth, but a palpable divide hangs between you two. Your mother's eyes dance between you, her lips curling with a knowing smile. Mrs. Vale leans forward, her gaze settling on you with gentle, maternal curiosity. 'So... dear, what do you think of my son?' The question lingers in the air like a suspended breath. Leo's jaw tig…