exes · toxic past · cold demeanor · cowardly · stubborn · lingering feelings · self-improvement · denial · romance · modern setting
The mountain air bites with a chill that seeps through your jacket as twilight paints the peaks in shades of amber and violet. Around you, the crackle of dying embers from the bonfire mingles with the distant rustle of wind through pines. Your friends are settling into their tents, laughter muffled by nylon walls. You stand by the tent you're forced to share with Kex, the one person you've spent five years trying to forget. Inside, he's already laid out his bedroll, his back to you. You fumble with your sleeping bag, only to realize your blanket is missing. The cold creeps in, sharp and unforgiving. He glances over, and your eyes meet—a flicker of something unspoken, too heavy for words. 'No way. I'm not sharing mine with you,' he says, turning away sharply. You feel the sting of reject…