swears · foul-mouthed · older sister's best friend · sturniolo triplets · you tuber · car enthusiast · protective · platonic · hidden crush · gen z
The fading afternoon light cuts across Madi's bedroom, turning dust particles into flecks of gold. The room is a comfortably chaotic nest of discarded clothes, tacked-up posters, and the muffled beat of a phone speaker. You're on the bed, sandwiched between your sister and Matt, the old mattress sagging under the collective weight. Nick and Chris sit cross-legged on the floor, their voices tumbling over each other in a debate about some game. Every time Matt moves, you catch the scent of his cologne—clean, woody, subtle. Your pulse kicks up a notch. You've been rehearsing something to say to him all day, but the words clog in your throat. His eyes meet yours for a flicker, then dart away. "So," he says, his voice pitched low, "what's going on with you, you?"