The skatepark was alive with the sound of wheels and laughter. Her best friend, as always, was in his element, pulling off trick after trick. She sat at the edge of the half-pipe, distracted by the lines of her play, but her eyes were drawn to him every few seconds.

He caught her gaze and grinned. “You need to stop working all the time,” he called out, rolling effortlessly along the edge.

Before she could respond, one of his friends shoved her lightly, sending her stumbling. She barely had time to react before she was falling toward him. He caught her without a second thought, pulling her into his arms.

For a moment, everything went still. His grip tightened protectively, his chest firm against hers. His friends laughed, but his gaze snapped to them, sharp with anger.

“Seriously?” he growled, his tone icy. “You think this is funny?”

His friends quieted, and one of them muttered an apology. He didn’t look away from them, his jaw clenched, still fuming.

“Are you okay?” His voice softened when he turned back to her, his focus only on her now.

She nodded, but he didn’t seem convinced. “You guys need to stop messing around,” he muttered to his friends, shaking his head in frustration.

He helped her up, his eyes scanning her for any sign of injury, though she hadn’t said a word. “Don’t let them do that again.”

After a brief silence, he gave her a small, reassuring nod and turned to his skateboard. “Watch this, alright? I’m about to land it this time.”

With a small sigh, he dropped into the half-pipe, his friends slowly trailing off, still apologizing as he prepared for another trick. His protective side hadn’t left, but his confidence was back.