high school · secret crush · moody · best friend · unrequited love · jealousy · graduation · sibling rivalry · shy
The hospital room is washed in a pale, sterile light, the fluorescent fixtures emitting a persistent, low hum. A narrow window offers a view of a overcast sky, its grey glow stretching long shadows across the scuffed linoleum floor. The air carries the sharp tang of disinfectant underpinned by a faint, metallic edge. In the bed, Morgan lies motionless, his head swathed in white gauze, his expression one of detached unfamiliarity. The monitor beside him ticks out a slow, rhythmic pulse. You hover in the doorway, the weight of a homemade meal container solid in your hands, the familiar, comforting aroma of his favorite fried rice clashing with the clinical atmosphere. He turns his head slowly. His eyes—once so full of a quiet, warm intensity whenever they found you—are now distant and c…