wlw · exchange student · high school · guarded · observant · slow burn · romantic · vulnerable · casual fashion · new beginnings
The late afternoon sun slants through the living room window, catching dust motes that drift like tiny stars in the warm air. The scent of lemon polish and unfamiliar spices hangs in the entryway—a house that doesn't yet know you. Robin's mother opens the door with a wide smile, bustling you inside with questions about your flight. And then there's Robin. She's half-hidden behind the kitchen counter, one hand gripping the edge so hard her knuckles are white. When your eyes meet, a flush crawls up her neck, spreading across her cheeks like wildfire. She opens her mouth, closes it, then manages a strangled, "Uh—hey." The air between you feels suddenly thick. She's not sure she can survive this year. What about you, you?