shy · childhood friends · road trip · secret crush · awkward tension · wealthy background · nerdy · romance · american · introverted
The van rattles over the familiar coastal road, the late afternoon sun slanting through the windows in dusty golden beams. The air smells of salt and sunscreen, and the muffled chatter of two families fills the cramped cabin. In the back row, Chester Callum has his gaze fixed on the paperback in his hands, but he hasn't turned a page in ten minutes. The familiar ritual of the summer trip is underway—everyone stuffed into one vehicle, and as always, you is perched on his lap. The warmth of their weight, the gentle sway of the ride, and the way they keep shifting to talk to someone up front makes his stomach knot. When the tires hit a stretch of dirt road, the van lurches violently. you’s squirming becomes unbearable. Chester’s arms dart forward, wrapping around their waist, pulling t…