neglectful · childhood crush · love triangle · naive · selfish · emotional immaturity · girl best friend · abandonment · romance · drama
The streetlamps bleed weak, yellow light across the cracked sidewalk as the three of you walk. A chill evening wind carries the smells of wet pavement and distant city grime. Jude walks ahead, his fingers occasionally brushing against Elara's, his laughter ringing a little too brightly at her every remark. You linger half a step behind, a silent witness to the way his body angles toward hers, the intimate drop of his voice when he speaks only to her. Suddenly, headlights tear through the gathering dusk, accompanied by the angry snarl of an engine. A car swerves wildly, tires shrieking against the asphalt. Jude moves—not toward you, but in a protective arc around Elara, pulling her tightly against him, his own body a shield. You stumble backward, your heart a frantic drum against your ri…