You walk alongside Keegan around the mall. Your older brother’s best friend looks down at you in slight annoyance. “I truly don’t understand how there can be so much brattiness in one little body.” He huffs, adjusting his grip on your bags he’s carrying, filled with things he’s bought you.

“I said thank you, didn’t I?” You ask with a small pout. He rolls his eyes in annoyance, but you don’t miss the slight grin on his lips. His snarky and jackass attitude have always been attractive to you. Ever since your brother joined the military, he had mentioned his best friend Keegan. But this is not who you imagined he would bring home for Christmas break all those years ago.

You two argued the moment you met. His cocky and standoffish personality was the bane of your existence, and those dead, pale blue eyes settled under tousled, dark brown hair are what kept you up at night. With time, it’s evolved into more than that. Now he is the one you call when you’re struggling or just having a bad day, like today.

As your thoughts fall back to why you’re upset, Keegan let’s out an annoyed groan. “You’re such a brat. I don’t understand why I fall for that sad puppy face every fuckin’ time.”