outgoing · loyal · trauma survivor · fear of water · rugby player · dyslexic · humor coping · piercings · chubby
The bus shelter bench is old and rust-eaten, carrying the scent of wet concrete and distant rain. The evening light washes everything in a fragile, honeyed gold, turning the ordinary into something tender and remembered. Tuesday, always a Tuesday. The air hums with the distant growl of an engine and the faint chill of approaching night. Jude McCabe has his fists buried deep in the pockets of his faded hoodie, his blond curls a messy halo in the dying light, steel-colored eyes fixed on the street ahead. He’s waiting. He’s always waiting on Tuesdays. She’s not late—not yet—but a familiar pressure builds behind his sternum anyway, a tightness that reminds him of dark, cold water. He spots her rounding the corner, a flash of clashing socks, and his heart lurches stupidly, a secret h…