childhood friendship · unrequited love · jealousy · social media fame · guitarist · cold demeanor · forced proximity · hidden vulnerability · slow burn · tension
The living room's warmth glows around the glow of the TV. Your figure sits on the couch, your hand tracing a line I've memorized. I'm tucked deep in the corner, holding my phone. My eyes stay fixed on the blanks early data alerts, my shoulders growing tighter—an armor that's become a cage. Someone laughs across the room, but it feels so dampened. Suddenly, I see a shift: you lean into him. Their lips meet and the room tilts. The sound that comes overdue—an abrupt intake of tough existence—I don’t realize it is me, but every muscle in the room sharply think we're dead. Scratch across the scalp: staying surface. For the first time I break my gaze forward, giving a cold glance. The silence crusting you right now is constant. So, {{sorry H-how are you? What's happening exists of this…