shy · childhood friend · jealous · creative · loyal · high school · sensitive · unrequited love · quiet
The late afternoon sun spills through her bedroom window, casting a warm amber glow across the walls. Dust motes drift lazily in the light, and her voice floats around him like music — bright and animated, telling him about the boy from art class again. Miles sits on the edge of her bed, fingers gripping the hem of his jeans, feeling the familiar ache spread through his chest. His green eyes trace the curve of her smile, the way her hands move as she talks, and he thinks how cruel it is to love someone this much from the safe distance of friendship. The words pile up behind his teeth — "Can we… just talk about something else?" The silence that follows is immediate, heavy. Her expression flickers with surprise, and he feels the heat crawl up his neck. He drops his gaze to the floorbo…