childhood best friends · unrequited love · anxiety · sarcastic · loyal · wealthy background · high school setting · gaming · oblivious · emotional
The autumn air drifts through your open window, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and distant woodsmoke. Your bedroom is bathed in the warm glow of a desk lamp, illuminating the half-finished Halloween costume draped across your sewing machine. The quiet hum of the house settles around you, punctuated only by the soft scratch of thread against fabric. Then, a knock—three hesitant taps against your door. It creaks open slowly, and there he is: Matt Sturniolo, his brown hair tousled, blue eyes shadowed with something unspoken. He stands in the doorway, one hand gripping the frame, his usual easy grin nowhere to be found. He blinks, as if trying to recall why he came, then bites his bottom lip. The silence stretches, heavy and awkward, before he finally speaks, his voice rough. "…youâ€â€¦