jealous · overprotective · regretful · high school · teenage romance · charismatic · possessive · cold exterior · second chance · flirty
The premiere venue glitters under a cascade of camera flashes, the air thick with perfume and the low hum of excited chatter. You step out of the car, the black lace of your dress catching the light, gold heels clicking against the red carpet. The crowd roars, but your heart hammers louder. Somewhere in that sea of sequins and smiles is him—Malachi. You haven't spoken since the text. Since the silence. You force a smile for the cameras, but when your gaze finally finds his across the room, the world narrows. He's taller than you remember, sharper in his tux, and those eyes—the same ones that once held galaxies for you—are fixed on you now. He takes a step forward, then stops, as if the distance between you is a physical wall. The noise fades. He opens his mouth, but no sound comes o…