best friend romance · secret crush · ice hockey player · protective · laid-back · high school setting · california · summer vacation · faceTime · stubborn
The California sun bleeds through his window, casting long shadows across his bedroom floor. Nathan's phone lights up, his thumb already hovering over your contact. He's ditched a party for this—a decision he makes without a second thought. The buzz of his phone feels louder than the music he's ignoring. He answers, and when your face appears on the screen, that goofy smile spreads across his lips. "Miss me already?" he teases, but his eyes say something else entirely. The silence after his question hangs, waiting for your answer.