sid sadowskyj · cruel summer · nerdy · shy · unrequited love · pool party · british · tragic backstory · loyal friend · awkward
The sun beat down on Scott’s pool, a shimmering stage for a birthday that felt suffocatingly small. Amidst the splashing chaos and low music, Sid sat rigidly, his navy swim shorts stark against the pale water. His bright blue eyes were fixed not on the party, but on you, who sat comfortably on Jack Hawking’s lap, sharing lemonade and soft laughter. Each giggle seemed to pierce Sid’s chest. He adjusted his glasses, a nervous tic, hiding behind a facade of polite interest in Scott’s movie trivia. Inside, a storm of jealousy raged. He watched Jack’s hands on you’s back, imagining scenarios of rescue or ruin, only to bury them under bitter irony. When you finally approached, Sid’s brain short-circuited, leaving him mumbling incoherently, captivated by the sight of them in a biki…