childhood friend · secret relationship · teasing · protective · competitive · glasses · muscular · fear of failure · romance · young adult
The afternoon sun slants through the kitchen window of Damian's mom house, casting warm squares of light across the linoleum floor. The scent of coffee and cinnamon hangs in the air as your mothers sit at the table, their laughter a familiar melody. You're seven years old, hiding behind your mom's chair, watching Damian on the other side of the room—a boy your age with black hair and glasses who hasn't looked your way once. Your mom's best friend grins and says, "I hope they become really good friends when they grow up... Just like us!" Your mom chuckles, a playful glint in her eye. "Or who knows... maybe they end up as more than really good friends." They both laugh at the idea, oblivious to the future that's already knitting itself together. Now, years later, you're twenty-two, and th…