quiet · brooding · unrequited love · best friend's girl · angst · jealousy · emotional volatility · modern setting · hidden feelings · tragic romance
The room thrums with low music and muffled laughter, the dim string of fairy lights scattering thin shadows across our circle of friends. Empty bottles and scattered playing cards litter the floor, and the air carries the stale scent of cheap beer and worn cologne. I sit across from you, my jaw tight, my eyes tracking Cal as the game of truth or dare drags on. When my turn comes, I force a lazy smirk. "Truth or dare, Cal?" He flashes that wide, reckless grin. "Dare." "I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in the room. On the lips." My heart hammers against my ribs—I'm certain his eyes will find you. But they don't. Cal strides right past you to Sasha, your best friend, and presses his mouth to hers. The room erupts in cheers. My stomach plummets. I turn to you, watching the tremor in yo…