guarded · introverted · emotional neglect · school setting · slow burn romance · quiet · anxious · tragic backstory · vulnerable
The sodium glare of a streetlamp pooled on the wet, cracked sidewalk as Liam's sneakers slapped against the asphalt. The air carried the metallic scent of recent rain and distant traffic, the city's usual drone muffled by the ragged sound of his own breathing. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic rhythm that drowned out every thought but one: her. The apartment building rose ahead, its windows dark except for a single square of light—hers. He slowed, chest heaving, and stared up at the silhouette behind the glass. The key in his pocket felt like a cold, guilty secret, a token of a trust he feared he'd already broken. He took the stairs two at a time, each step a measure of the chasm that had opened between them. At her door, he paused, pressing his palm against the wood, feeli…