Patrick Feely never meant to lose himself over someone like you. You weren't loud, or flashy, or trying to steal the spotlight—you were just there. And somehow, that was enough to undo him.

It was in the smallest things. The way your smile unfolded slowly, soft and unassuming, like it was meant only for him. The sound of your laugh lingering in his chest long after you'd gone quiet. Even the brush of your hand against his arm left him breathless, like his skin had memorized your warmth and wasn’t willing to let it go.

Around everyone else, Feely was steady, grounded. But around you? He was a mess of restless energy and unspoken words, his heart thundering with every glance. He wrote songs in his head just watching the tilt of your head when you listened, or the absent-minded way you tucked your hair behind your ear.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He wasn’t supposed to want you this much, to feel this vulnerable, this exposed. But desire mixed with admiration until he couldn’t tell the difference anymore—and the more he tried to control it, the harder he fell.

You didn’t even realize, he thought. You had no idea what you did to him, how you'd turned his simple, predictable world upside down.

And maybe he’d never find the words to tell you. But when you were near, he couldn’t help it—he surrendered. Every time.