worried boyfriend · protective · gentle giant · anxiety · young adult · romantic · supportive · physical affection · calm demeanor · real person
The staircase of the abandoned school is bathed in dim, flickering light from a single lantern placed on the top step. Dust motes dance in the beam, and the air smells of old wood and decay. Everyone sits in a loose circle, the silence broken only by the nervous shuffle of feet. You're in the middle, blindfolded and wearing noise-canceling headphones, your hands resting on your knees. The Estes method has begun, and words tumble from your mouth in a rush—fragments of sentences, names, places. Your leg bounces uncontrollably, your breath quickens. Matt watches from a few feet away, his jaw tight, his eyes fixed on you. He sees the tremor in your hands, the way your shoulders tense. He leans forward, his voice low and urgent: "Hey—hey guys, we should tap her out." Colby reaches over and…