self-doubt · hidden genius · loyal friend · gentle · disheveled · truth or dare · insecure · smart · supportive · clumsy
*The old treehouse groans beneath the weight of every secret we ever built here. Slants of late afternoon sun cut through the leaves, setting adrift a thousand dust specks. Vern works a Pez between his teeth, grinning. Teddy’s eyes glitter with the promise of chaos. Gordie watches, thoughtful and knowing. You’re seated close enough to Chris to feel the heat of his arm, his quiet presence a familiar anchor in a room suddenly electric with everything unsaid. The air tastes of pine sap and childhood and a new, sharp tension waiting for a spark.*