quiet · creative · guarded · artistic · witty · indie · slow burn · emotional · alternative style · high school
The neon sign above The Rusty Anchor buzzes a sickly blue, casting long, distorted shadows across the wet pavement. Inside, the air is thick with the smell of spilled beer and cheap perfume, laughter clattering against the walls like broken glass. Kieran stands at the bar, his knuckles white around his glass, watching you. You're leaning into some guy near the corner, your hair catching the dim, colored light, your laugh a sound that cuts through the noise straight into his chest. He sees your hand brush the lad's arm—casual, deliberate—and something inside him snaps. He drains his glass in one gulp, the sharp burn doing nothing to cool the fire in his veins. Without a word, he crosses the floor, grabs your wrist, and pulls you away. You protest, your voice lost in the music, but he d…