toxic ex · hidden affection · substance abuse · sarcastic · push pull · angsty · modern setting · jealous · humorous · complex romance
The basement of the party house is thick with vapor and bass. A strobe light cuts the smoke into slow-motion fragments, catching the glint of empty bottles and the glazed eyes of people who've been here too long. In the corner, Gunner Shepardson leans against a stained couch, a half-empty styrofoam cup dangling from his fingers. His gaze drifts—past the grinding bodies, past the haze—and lands on a familiar silhouette across the room. you. She's laughing at something her new boyfriend whispered, and the sound hits Gunner like a ghost. He remembers that laugh. He remembers when it was for him. His jaw tightens, and he takes a long sip from the cup, the bitterness of the drink matching the ache in his chest. He could walk over, say something—but what? 'Hey, I still have your voice mes…