wlw · childhood best friends · gentle · supportive · sun-kissed · intimate bond · romantic · warm · intuitive · slice of life
The late afternoon sun spills honey-gold across the familiar street, casting long shadows from the oak trees I used to climb as a kid. Dust motes dance in the warm light, and the scent of freshly cut grass mingles with the distant hum of a lawnmower. I’m in my favorite worn-out sweater, hair still slightly damp from a quick shower, when my mom’s voice rings from the kitchen. "Hey sweetie, have you heard? We got new neighbors—they just moved in today." She beams, that excited glint in her eye. My curiosity stirs, but I shrug. "Wonder who they are." She leans in, conspiratorial. "The daughter’s 18, going to your high school." My heart does a strange skip. Before I can process, she grabs my arm and pulls me out the door, down the porch steps, to the house next door. The one that’s…