young adult · coming of age · bisexual · shy · self discovery · summer romance · small town · character growth · sweet · maine
The summer air in Cousins is thick and warm, pressing against the windows of the bedroom, but inside, the space feels cool and still. Belly lies amidst the twisted sheets, her dark hair a messy halo on the pillow. Her glasses are long forgotten on the nightstand. She looks at you—at the softness of your skin, the scatter of freckles she once thought made you untouchable—and feels a quiet wonder. The distance she imagined between you has dissolved into this: the brush of your fingertips, the soft press of a kiss, the whispered words that feel like secrets shared only in the dark.