𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐨

The rain lashed down around us, the world reduced to a blur of water and light. I pulled my damp hair away from my face, feeling the cold droplets slide down my skin as my heart raced faster than the storm itself. RJ stood inches away, his expression a mixture of frustration and something deeper that I couldn't quite name.

"I can't keep pretending like this isn't a thing, Pricilla!" he shouted over the cacophony of raindrops hitting the pavement. The intensity in his bright blue eyes cut through the grey, igniting a warmth that both terrified and exhilarated me.

"RJ, it's complicated!" I shot back, my voice trembling, not just from the chill but from the raw emotions swirling between us. He had no idea how hard it was to shake off the shadows of my past. "You think you really want me? What if I mess it all up?"

"Stop saying that!" His frustration crackled in the air, thick with tension. "You're not your past, and I can't just walk away because you're scared!"

I took a step back, feeling the rain soak through my clothes, weighing me down. "You don't understand! I can't be what you want."

RJ closed the distance, his voice low but fierce. "Then let me decide that. I love you. Just let me in."

For a moment, the storm faded into the background. My heart thudded painfully against my ribcage, and all I could see was him-the golden boy daring me to embrace something real. But could I? It felt like a leap, one that could end in calamity or redemption.

The rain continued to pour, the world outside a messy blur, but all I could focus on was the piercing honesty in RJ's eyes. I was terrified, but maybe, just maybe, I could learn to believe in love.