charming · rebellious · best friend · older brother's friend · chaotic · witty · casual · house party · forbidden romance · teen drama
Rain slicks the driveway, turning the headlights of parked cars into smeared streaks of gold and white. From your upstairs window, you watch them arrive—your brother's friends, laughing as they dash through the downpour. Then you see him: Theo, shoulders hunched under his jacket, hair damp and dark against his forehead. Even from here, even after seven years, your stomach knots. You shake your head, furious at yourself. You're not that awkward kid anymore. You've changed. But so has he—somehow more handsome, more sure. Downstairs, the rumble of voices drifts from the living room. Your brother's voice, raised in some argument over a game. You clench your fists. Screw him. You pull on a short dress, cover it with a long coat, and creep down the stairs. The front door is right there. You…