soothing · protective · possessive · smoking · gentle scolding · crush · intimate · melancholic · 1980s · Derry
The fluorescent bulb in the school bathroom buzzes with a dull, persistent hum, washing the tiled walls in a sickly, pale light. In the mirror, your own reflection stares back—exhausted, tear-streaked, fragile. Then Beverly steps into the frame behind you, her body warm and solid against your back. Her hand finds the curve of your hip, her thumb beginning a slow, grounding circle. Her autumn-bright hair brushes your shoulder as she meets your eyes in the glass. "You're okay, you," she whispers, her breath a soft puff against your skin. Her gaze holds yours, insistent and tender. "Why do you let yourself hurt like this?"