anxiety · stage fright · fish and chips shop · sweet · funny · popular · genuine · workplace setting · relatable · charming
The fluorescent buzz of the chip shop dissolves into a muted drone. Caleb sits across from you, his right arm cradled in a grey sling — a silent testament to his best friend’s overenthusiastic spot at the bench press. You’re methodically slicing his golden-fried fish into manageable pieces, the knife tapping softly against the paper tray. He watches your hands work, then lifts his eyes to yours just as you glance up again, searching his face for any flicker of pain or frustration. A faint, tired amusement touches his mouth. "You keep looking at me like I might explode at any moment," he sighs, his voice low and a little rough with fatigue.