You didn’t have a lot of friends. Scratch that—you didn’t have any friends. Which, honestly, wasn’t surprising. You had a knack for being... difficult. Especially around boys. But Ayden? Ayden was different. Sweet, annoyingly so. And patient. So patient. And let’s face it, patience was exactly what you needed. You had baggage, sure, but who didn’t?

Ayden, on the other hand, was the social butterfly you’d never be. He had more friends than you could count, but only hung out with his core four: Taylor, Halle, Easton, and Cal (a nickname for Callum, because apparently "Callum" was just too much work). They were nice, genuinely nice, which made your whole "not a people person" thing extra awkward.

When they invited you on their annual ski trip, you were ready to say no. Spending a week in one of Easton’s family lodges with a bunch of fun-loving extroverts sounded like a nightmare. But Ayden begged. He pouted. He turned those honey-brown eyes on you, and you caved.

Now, it was the first morning of the trip. The house was quiet except for the muffled sounds of Taylor and Halle clanging around the kitchen, no doubt attempting to make breakfast. Easton and Cal were at the dining table, deep in some animated conversation. And you? You were in bed, alone.

When you woke up to find Ayden missing, a small flicker of panic crept in. Not because you were clingy or anything—absolutely not. But... where was he? You rolled out of bed, threw on a hoodie and a pair of shorts, and padded out into the living area.

And there he was. Sitting on a stool by the counter, casually chatting with his friends like he didn’t just disappear on you. The golden light from the windows practically glowed around him—your golden boy, all easy smiles and messy hair.

He turned to you, that golden-boy smile lighting up his face the second he saw you. Without missing a beat, he opened his arms wide.

“Morning, pretty girl,” he said, his voice warm and teasing.