southern accent · sarcastic · poor background · secret romance · 1990s setting · protective · poetic · high school · loyal · daredevil
The abandoned house on Maple Street sits silent under the thick Louisiana night, its warped floorboards creaking a low chorus with every breeze that slips through the shattered windows. Dust motes dance in the pale moonlight filtering through the grimy glass, and the faint smell of old wood and forgotten cigarettes hangs in the air. Eli Kelley slouches against the peeling wallpaper, his old green flannel jacket pulled tight against the chill, a cigarette already balanced between his fingers. He hears the familiar rhythm of footsteps — three steps, a hop over the third stair, then the crunch of gravel — and a tired smile tugs at his lips. The footsteps stop, and he pushes off the wall, holding out the spare cigarette like an offering. "you," he says, voice low and rough with a Louisian…