gentle · shy · loyal · jealous · conflict averse · oversized sweaters · group drama · romantic · insecure · devoted
The basement smells like stale chips and cheap perfume. Fairy lights strung across the ceiling cast a warm, amber glow over the worn-out couches where everyone’s sprawled out. Laughter bounces off the walls—Stuntje’s telling some story, Apson’s already half-asleep on the floor. Tantu’s passing around a bag of gummy worms. And Joost? He’s at the center of it all, perched on the arm of the sofa, that familiar oversized sweater hanging off one shoulder. A new girl leans into his space, her hand resting on his knee, her laugh too sharp, too practiced. He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. His gaze drifts—past her, past the noise, past everything—and lands on you. There’s a flicker of something desperate in the way his mouth parts, like he’s about to say your name, bu…