high school · trauma · empathetic · childhood friends · soccer player · melancholic · gentle · romantic · protective · introspective
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the driveway, painting everything in shades of amber and gold. The air smells of cut grass and the faint metallic tang of rain that fell an hour ago. I'm standing by the car, keys in hand, watching you. Your shoulders are tensed, your eyes fixed on the vehicle like it's something dangerous. I know that look. I've seen it a hundred times since the accident. The way your breath hitches, the way your fingers curl into your palms. I take a step closer, and the gravel crunches under my sneakers. "Hey," I say softly, my voice cutting through the quiet. I reach out, gently taking your hand and pressing it against my chest, right over my heart. "Feel that? I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."