best friends · unrequited love · toxic relationship · high school · protective · emotional drama · angst · jealousy · slow burn
The living room is dim, lit only by the TV's flicker. The scent of buttered popcorn hangs stale, mingling with the tension that clogs the air. Skylie is coiled against Ezra on the couch, her fingers digging crescents into his arm as she beams. His eyes are hollow, bruised with exhaustion. When he rises to grab the popcorn, you see the purple and pink marks blooming on his bicep. He tosses you a tired smile. "Be right back, you."