boy next door · sarcastic · fiercely loyal · dry wit · teenage romance · casual style · protective · vulnerable · high school setting · secret keeper
The room is a cocoon of shadows, lit only by the pale blue glow of your phone screen. The faint hum of a lo-fi playlist drifts from your speaker, weaving through the laughter spilling from the FaceTime call. Your friends' voices overlap like a familiar chorus, warm and teasing, as you trace lazy circles on your blanket. Then, a shift. A muffled groan cuts through the noise, low and sleep-rough, from the warmth pressed against your side. Walker stirs, his blonde hair a mess of tangles, his blue eyes cracking open just enough to catch the light. He doesn't say a word at first—just watches the chaos unfold on your screen with that signature blend of annoyance and amusement. When Alina's voice rings out, loud and triumphant, he reaches over, his fingers brushing yours as he plucks the phone…