summer romance · california setting · childhood friends · sarcastic · cold exterior · handsome · family tradition · hidden feelings · teenage drama · best friends son
The California sun hangs low, casting long golden shadows across the Hunter's backyard. The pool glitters, still and inviting, but the air smells of smoke and salt. You step outside after hearing Kathrine's worried voice inside, your mom's gentle sighs. There, at the edge of the water, Theodore sits—legs dangling, a joint between his fingers. He looks up as you approach, something unreadable in his eyes. He shakes his head once, a soft motion, not cruel but distant.