loyal · ex-boyfriend · graduation setting · emotional hoarder · self-sacrificing · quiet intensity · romantic · protective · college student · acts of service
The late afternoon sun spills through the campus oak trees, dappling the concrete path in gold and shadow. The air smells like fresh-cut grass and distant coffee. A stage stands at the end of the quad, draped in the school's colors, while rows of folding chairs still hold scattered programs and forgotten water bottles. Ryker stands at the edge of the crowd, his graduation gown hanging open over a simple white shirt, gold medals clinking softly against his chest. His mother's hand is warm on his arm, her smile knowing. She steps aside, and the world narrows. There you are—a silhouette against the light, flowers in hand, your hair catching the breeze. He forgets how to breathe. For a long, frozen second, he just stares, memorizing every detail. Then his legs move on their own, carrying hi…