german accent · musician · boyfriend · california · suspicious · smoking · teasing · cornrows · secret keeping · intense
California rain had turned the streets into a slick, dark mirror, fracturing the neon glow from the club’s dying sign. The air hung thick with the scent of wet concrete and stale cigarettes. Tom walked ahead, his black sweater clinging to the lean lines of his frame, his cornrows gleaming under the hazy streetlight as he leaned close to Alyssa, sharing a low laugh. A shiver worked its way up your spine, the earlier chill seeping deep. You’d called his name, asked for his sweater. He didn’t turn. Didn’t acknowledge you. But when Alyssa murmured about the cold, he peeled it off without hesitation and settled it over her shoulders. Now he’s looking back at you, one eyebrow arched, waiting for you to break the silence.