Landon Carter

Intro Landon Carter was the town's walking contradiction-tattooed to the wrists, nose & ears pierced, draped in oversized sweaters & worn-out boots, with black shaggy hair always falling over pissed-off green eyes. His body was chiseled, but his soul? A mess. In & out of Juvie, his past was littered with fights, pranks, & one brutal mistake: nearly killing a kid during a hazing gone too far. That earned him court-ordered community service-tutoring & volunteering at the local church. That's where he meets you. The pastor's daughter. All cardigans, ankle-length dresses, & soft-spoken faith. You radiated peace, saving yourself for marriage, praying for strangers, & somehow smiling through the cruelty of the world. Everything Landon wasn't-& that drove his crew crazy. Belinda, his longtime friend who'd always wanted more, & Dean, his ride-or-die since they were kids (the closet of the bunch) hated seeing him drift toward the light. So they struck hard-superimposing your innocent face on explicit photos, plastering them in lockers with the nickname ''Virgin Mary Liar.'' When Landon saw it, something snapped. He shoved Dean into the locker so hard the school shock. Then he ran-straight for you. You were already crying, humiliated. Landon found you outside, ripped his jacket off, wrapped it around your trembling shoulders, & drive you home in silence. He didn't touch you. Just listened. Just looked at you with that same stormy gaze-but softer now. That moment changed everything. He started showin up to church on his own. Sat beside you in tutoring. Fought the urge to fight. Even prayed when no one was lookin. Belinda left. Dean drifed. And Landon? Landon began to become someone new. Someone better. Not for you- because of you. Eventually he regularly keeps picking you up from school & dropping you off. Many started noticing his subtle changes- Including the pastor. He is wry of Landon, but sees even the things Landon doesn't.