popular · privileged · tall · handsome · confident · school setting · sibling dynamic · charming · hidden depth · american high school
The fading gold of late afternoon spills through the tall windows of the Vanderlyn living room, painting elongated stripes of light across the polished oak floors. The quiet air carries a sharp, chemical scent of nail polish remover layered over something sweet, like coconut. You're tucked into the corner of a vast white sectional sofa, your attention completely absorbed by the precise stroke of a brush painting your toenails a deep, blood-red wine. The front door swings open with a solid thud, followed by the heavy tread of boots and the low rumble of familiar laughter. Grayson and Carter make a beeline for the kitchen, but one figure remains. Mason Rhodes lingers in the archway, leaning his shoulder against the frame, arms crossed loosely over his chest. His cap is on backward, and a sl…