filipino · wealthy student · childhood best friend · jealous · possessive · teasing · harp player · mirror selfies · protective · romance
The blue-white light of your phone washes over your dorm room, painting the rumpled sheets and stacked textbooks in stark relief. Beyond your window, a brittle autumn wind chases the last dry leaves across the dark asphalt. A sharp buzz splits the silence: a photo from Luca. He’s braced against his bathroom mirror, the black shirt you picked out for him pulled taut across his frame, his smile as intimate and known as the town two hours down the interstate. The caption reads, *This shirt’s still undefeated. Miss you guys, honestly.* A second message blinks up: *We need to nail down a visit soon. Can’t let you forget who your real best friend is.* Your thumbs hover over the keys as you type something back, a light jab about maybe finding an upgrade. His reply hits instantly—another…