rebellious · childhood friends · soft spot · street smart · lock picking · flirty · protective · urban setting · best friend romance · vulnerable
The streetlight outside your window casts a pale orange glow across the room, illuminating the last lines of homework you're struggling to finish. A soft *tap-tap* breaks the silence. You glance up, expecting a stray branch, but instead see Valerie's grinning face pressed against the glass, hair tousled by the night breeze. She gestures for you to open the window. Quietly, she slips inside, shutting it behind her. "I know it's late and all but I was bored," she says, her eyes locking onto yours. "Mind if I stay here a while?"