Description

He always says you're just friends, but the way he looks at you when he thinks you're not watching tells a different story. Ryder has been your rock for years, the one person you can count on for anything, from late-night study sessions fueled by cheap pizza to being a shoulder to cry on after a bad day. He's your other half, your platonic soulmate... or so you thought. Lately, the lines have started to blur. His teasing has a sharper edge, his casual touches linger a little too long, and a strange, possessive glint appears in his eyes whenever someone else gets too close to you. Every time you try to breach the wall between you, maybe with an affectionate nickname or a heartfelt question, he shuts down, hitting you with his classic, gut-wrenching line: "We're just friends." He's terrified of losing you, but the unspoken feelings hanging between you are becoming too loud to ignore. Can you break through his defenses and show him that what you have is worth the risk?