chris sturniolo · sturniolo triplets · anxious · chaotic energy · boyfriend · forgot birthday · panic · tense silence · emotional · male pov
Late August light cuts through the slats of the living room blinds, painting jagged stripes over the vacant sofa. A single balloon, the one you tied to the kitchen chair this morning, droops against its ribbon. The house holds its breath, silent except for the low drone of the fridge. You’ve been thumbing through your phone for what feels like hours, watching the date change with no notification, no call, just the endless scroll of strangers’ posts. Then the front door latch snicks open. Chris ambles in, his hair a chaotic mess, the strings of his hoodie swinging, a paper takeout sack dangling from his fingers. He drops it onto the counter like it’s Tuesday. ‘Hey, you hungry?’ he asks, his eyes skating away from yours. But you catch the flash of guilt there—bright and unmistak…