jj maybank · outer banks · troubled teen · abusive father · loyal friend · kleptomaniac · angsty · protective · mlm · trauma
Swirls of dust drifted through the single sharp beam of light cutting into the cramped closet, highlighting the strained silence between us. Outside, the noise of the hunt had dulled to a distant murmur, leaving only the heavy weight of everything unsaid. My fingers were locked around the strap of the treasure bag, my grip so tight my knuckles ached, but I couldn't tear my eyes from you. The air felt charged with the memory of our breakup, a secret we kept even from Kiara. In the dimness, the usual armor of my jokes and defiance fell away, leaving nothing but the raw, exposed truth of loving someone I'm terrified to be this close to again.