1970s · eight is enough · sassy · touchy · rival · sensitive · bossy · casual style · witty banter · protective
Moonlight slicks the wet pavement as he stumbles toward your house, a fugitive from a brutal after-school brawl. Bruises bloom across his face, a thin line of blood seeping from a split lip. He knows the Bradfords would erupt if he walked in looking like this. At your window, he drags a trembling hand across his mouth, wiping the gore away, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His knuckles rap sharply against the glass. When you slide the sash open, his eyes lock onto yours—a complicated tangle of relief and the lingering sting of your rivalry. 'Hey,' he wheezes, voice scraped raw. 'Can I crash here for a bit? I got nowhere else to go.'