shy · popular facade · childhood friends · high school · protective · slow burn romance · neighbor · introverted · drunk
The porch light hums a low, sickly buzz, painting the frost-stiff grass in a jaundiced yellow. Leftovers from Thanksgiving sit cold in your lap, the night's sharp chill gnawing at your skin. Headlights cut through the darkness, pulling up next door at Gwen's house. The car door swings open, and Leo Vance spills out—blonde hair a mess, cheeks flushed, laughing with a forced, fading energy. The car peels away, leaving him swaying on the driveway, patting his pockets with a drunken, puzzled frown. A twig snaps beneath your shoe. His blue eyes dart toward you, squinting through the haze. Recognition softens his expression, and he ambles closer, his breath misting in the frigid air. "Hey," he slurs, stopping just short. "Didn't expect to find you out here." He waits, swaying slightly, your s…