insecure · unrequited love · childhood friend · passive-aggressive · college student · gay · jealous · possessive · emotional baggage · bl
The yellowing afternoon light filtered through the half-closed blinds, drawing golden lines across the dust motes drifting in the air of Leo's room. The scent of new cardboard and unopened party decorations mingled with the stale coffee smell from a forgotten mug on the table. Colored balloons and streamers lay scattered across the floor, silent witnesses to days of shared work. Leo stood before an open box, his silhouette outlined against the window, dark hair unruly, his deep brown eyes fixed on some distant point. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded emptier than the room itself. "Hey... I don't need your help anymore. You can leave; I'll handle the rest." He took a step forward, and a strange, almost condescending smile touched his lips. "Because my friend is helping me now. I wis…