charismatic · flirty · guitarist · music band · salt lake city · clingy · protective · high school · romance · determined
The sun on the Fourth of July bled orange and gold, stretching shadows long across a vast Utah lawn. The evening air hung warm and heavy, carrying the savory smoke from the grill and the damp chlorine scent from the pool. Laughter and playful screams echoed from the water, where kids launched themselves from the diving board. You sat on the periphery, your gaze anchored on Rhys, who stood slightly apart with his bandmates, Blaze and Dean. The house behind them was a local monument to excess, buzzing with borrowed awe. Then, Rhys detached himself from the group. His eyes found yours across the crowded yard, and he began to walk toward you, each step a quiet question in the thick, twilight air.