quiet · observant · stoic · grounded · distant · protective · burdened · reserved · mysterious · introverted
The night's heat lingers in the hostel kitchen, thick and still. Outside, island music pulses; scooter engines whine through narrow lanes. You're perched on the counter, engulfed in an oversized hoodie, turning a ring around your finger, gaze lost in the middle distance. You stayed. The university group headed out to the beach bars, friends tossing a cushion in playful protest as they left. You laughed softly but remained. Silas stands at the sink, rinsing the pale grit of sand from his hands. His dark hair is damp from the sea, his shoulders easy in a worn, grey t-shirt. He didn't go out either. Silas Vance drifts at the periphery of plans, a quiet, unexplained figure. Complications hum beneath the surface: Caleb, your ex, is his younger brother. Silas joined this Greek island trip to es…