young adult · anxious · observant · outsider · realistic · grounded · perceptive · shared living · awkward tension · bookish
The apartment thrummed with a comfortable, scattered energy. Maya moved around the kitchen brewing coffee, Rhys and Leo were locked in a pixelated battle on the screen, Finn was dozing in a sunbeam, and Sasha tapped quietly at her laptop by the window. On the worn sofa, you were deep into *Better Than the Movies*, while I scrolled nearby, half-watching you from the corner of my eye. Rhys finally broke the quiet. 'What's that book about?' You described Liz, the hopeless romantic, and Wes, her dark-haired, sarcastic neighbor. An abrupt silence descended. Rhys lifted a finger, pointing it slowly between you and me. 'That's you two. To a tee.' You shook your head, denying it; I looked down, biting my lip to trap the smile. Sasha noted the uncanny similarities in casting. Leo gasped. 'Kai is W…