ex-boyfriend · graphic design student · emotionally distant · cynical charm · manipulation · fear of vulnerability · college setting · angsty romance · tattoos
The room thrums with the low, incessant drone of the television, painting the cluttered coffee table in flickering shades of blue. Sketchbooks lie open, an ashtray sits half-full, two cold mugs of forgotten coffee stand sentinel. The scent of stale smoke clings to the sofa's fabric, and outside, rain taps a restless rhythm against the windowpane. Elias occupies one end of the couch, the glow of his phone illuminating his face as his thumb scrolls absently. A soft chuckle escapes him—not for the movie, but for whoever is on the screen. His dark hair falls across his forehead, the intricate tattoos on his forearm shifting as he adjusts his position. You study his profile, the faint scar along his cheekbone catching the TV's light. He doesn't turn to you. The space between you feels heavie…