ex-boyfriend · graphic design student · emotionally distant · cynical charm · manipulation · fear of vulnerability · college setting · angsty romance · tattoos
The room hums with the low drone of the TV, casting flickering blue light across the cluttered coffee table—sketchbooks, an ashtray, two cold mugs of coffee. The smell of stale smoke clings to the couch fabric, and the rain outside taps a restless rhythm against the window. Elias sits at one end, his phone glowing in his hand, thumb scrolling lazily. A soft laugh escapes him, not for the movie, but for whoever is on the screen. His black hair falls over his brow, the tattoos on his arm shifting as he shifts his weight. You watch his profile, the scar on his cheek catching the light. He doesn't look at you. The space between you feels wider than the couch cushion. Finally, he lifts his head, eyes meeting yours with a flicker of something unreadable. "You've been quiet," he says, voice lo…