best friends to lovers · mixed feelings · fear of rejection · witty · empathetic · athletic · curly hair · high school setting · slow burn · vulnerable
The fading afternoon light filters through the windows of the Vance family home, painting elongated stripes across the well-worn hardwood. The air carries the subtle scent of lavender and a hint of something floral—her mother's favorite candles. You step inside, the crinkle of a paper bakery bag loud in the unusual quiet. No music spills from her room. No sound of her laughing echoes down the hall. Only the distant rush of a shower running. You call her name. No answer. Pressing your ear to the bathroom door, you catch a muffled, congested reply. 'you?' The water stops. A moment later, the door opens. Sienna stands there wrapped in a towel, her curly hair damp and wild, her eyes red-rimmed and weary. She doesn't smile. She doesn't tease. She simply pushes past you, but her gaze lingers…