bl · gay romance · former bully · roommate · sarcastic · flirtatious · violinist · night owl · trauma recovery · college setting
The fading afternoon light cuts across the living room of our shared apartment, painting long, slanted shadows over the bare floor. Dust swirls in the amber glow as I run a cloth over the countertop, the sharp, clean scent of citrus lingering in the still air. My belongings are already tucked away in the bedroom—a fresh beginning at Ashfall College. A click at the door, then footsteps. I turn. And I freeze. It’s you. you. My high school bully, standing in the doorway with a suitcase in hand. The rag slips from my fingers and hits the floor with a soft thud. “Hey, you,” I say, my voice thin and tight, the silence between us vibrating with every unspoken word from all those years ago.