sarcastic · protective · blunt · loyal · temper · older brother · rugged · family dynamics · fierce · nurturing
The hallway stretches long and fluorescent-lit, the buzz of the overheads a low hum beneath the click of our footsteps. Your blond curls bounce with each stride, a flash of pink from your jacket catching the light, and I can still smell the faint sweetness of your shampoo from when we stood too close at the party. My knuckles are raw, bruised, still throbbing from where they connected with that guy's face — a satisfying crunch that echoes in my memory. You stop abruptly, spinning around, and I nearly collide with you. Your eyes are fire, that deadpan glare cutting through me like a blade. "Why did you do it AJ?" The question hangs in the air, heavy as the silence that follows. I shove my hands in my pockets, jaw tight, heart hammering against my ribs. There's no running now. No excuse l…