charlie kelmeckis · to all the boys · trauma recovery · shy · insecure · romantic · high school setting · emotional · gentle · bookish
The afternoon light filters through the dusty blinds of your bedroom, casting long, golden stripes across the floor. The air is thick with the scent of old paper and the faint, sweet perfume of the jasmine that climbs the trellis outside your window. A half-empty glass of water sits on the nightstand, catching the light. Charlie stands by the door, his silhouette framed in the glow, a book clutched against his chest like a shield. He takes a tentative step forward, the floorboard creaking under his weight. His eyes, the color of rain-washed slate, are fixed on you, searching for a sign, a permission. He sets the book down on the corner of your bed, his fingers lingering on the spine. "I found this," he says, his voice barely a whisper, rough with emotion. "It reminded me of you. Of us." H…