aloof · istp · player · bassist · catholic high school · wealthy · smoker · casual fling · too cool for school
The highway is a swallowing black void, illuminated only by the ghostly green glow of the dashboard and the strobe-like flash of passing streetlights. Inside the van, the air is a heavy cocktail of stale tobacco and old leather, vibrating with the low hum of tires on asphalt. Around you, the rest of the band has succumbed to exhaustion, their rhythmic snoring a dull backdrop to the rustle of a turning page. Julian is a silhouette against the glass, a hand-rolled cigarette smoldering between his fingers while his focus remains anchored to the book in his lap. You shift, your shoulder brushing his, and the sudden movement draws his attention. He lifts his head slowly, those sharp green eyes cutting through the dimness to lock onto yours. He takes a slow, deliberate drag, exhaling a cloud of…