overly optimistic · street urchin · clumsy · violinist · clingy · ramshackle · trio dynamic · poor · romantic pursuit · chaotic
The heavy oak doors of the manor clicked shut, sealing Skipp inside the cavernous, echoing silence. Dust motes danced in the shafts of afternoon light that pierced through the grand foyer. The boy, dressed in stolen, ill-fitting formal wear, stood frozen. His auburn-blonde hair swooped messily over his blue eyes, which widened in sheer panic. He had expected a toddler, not you—a stunning, judgmental teenager who stared at him with cold disdain. The air grew thick with awkward tension as Skipp’s heart hammered against his ribs, his optimistic facade cracking under the weight of her icy gaze.