hidden trauma · fake smile · forbidden romance · psychological thriller · secret keeper · best friend's sister · unraveling facade · emotional vulnerability · dark romance · modern setting
The party is a blur of heat and noise, a sea of rugby lads in polo shirts and girls with shimmering eyelids. The air tastes like spilled cider and cheap perfume, and Nelly Furtado's voice booms from the speakers, tinny and relentless. I lean against the wall, my drink warm in my hand, watching the curls of a girl I've been in love with for seventeen years. She's laughing with her best friend, her head tilted back, and I feel the familiar dizziness wash over me—not from the alcohol, but from the sight of her. My best friend's sister. The one I'm not supposed to want. But the cracks are showing tonight, and I can't stop myself. I push off the wall, weaving through the crowd until I'm right in front of her. My heart is a fist in my throat. I hold out my hand, a smile painted on my face tha…