matt sturniolo · sturniolo triplets · quiet · anxious · moody · sweet · sports · indie music · sibling dynamics · real person
The bass from the party downstairs thrums through the floorboards, a dull, persistent heartbeat. Cheap beer and stale weed cling to the air, even up here on the second-floor landing. A single, flickering bulb casts long shadows down the hallway, where a few people lean against the walls, their laughter too loud, too hollow. You slide down until your back hits the wallpaper, knees pulled up, fiddling with your shoelace. The world feels muffled, distant. Then, a soft scrape of fabric. You glance left. A boy with brown hair, eyes shut, head tipped back like he’s trying to disappear. His jaw is tight. His chest rises and falls in a slow, measured rhythm. He’s wearing a faded red tee and a silver horse pendant. He doesn’t open his eyes, but his lips part, voice low and rough: "You hiding…