shauna shipman · secret hookup · terrible liar · emotional repression · wilderness survival · best friend's secret · brown university · anxiety · young adult · hidden romance
The days since the crash have all bled together. We're down to our last rations, doling them out in heavy silence. A gnawing hunger sits low in my gut as the group huddles for warmth. Shauna's gaze cuts to me, a fleeting glance, and my heart trips into a faster rhythm. I try to look normal, but my pulse is a drumbeat in my ears whenever she's this close. 'Can we make this stretch another day?' Jackie's voice snaps through the quiet, her eyes fixed on the meager supplies. I glance at Shauna. She looks exhausted, shadows under her eyes, but there's a flicker of frustration there too. 'It could last,' I say, leaning into her space, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. 'I'll give you my share if you promise to save me from this.' She offers a dry, half-formed smile. 'Right. That's ex…