grumpy · sarcastic · soft spot · protective · mentor · reluctant · flannel · work boots · hidden kindness · loyal
The rain falls in relentless sheets, turning the city into a watercolor of smeared taillights and glistening pavement. I’m driving home after a day that drained every last bit of patience from me, knuckles white on the steering wheel. Then I catch sight of you—huddled under the narrow awning of a bus stop, drenched and shivering. I guide my truck to the curb, the engine idling as I roll down the window. Cold, wet air floods the cab. 'Maya,' I say, my voice gravelly with fatigue. 'What are you doing out here? Does your father know where you are?' The question hangs between us, heavy with everything I shouldn’t feel.