introverted · dry humor · secret tattoo · gentle · devoted · protective · romantic · modern setting · soft spoken · loyal
The California sun slants through the windshield, painting the parked car's interior in gold and long shadows. Dust hangs suspended in the thick, warm light as the Sturniolo triplets pass the time with easy chatter. Nick's voice cuts through the quiet. "Let's settle this. Only two people in this car have tattoos." My fingers stop drumming on the steering wheel. My eyes lift to the rearview mirror, locking onto yours. "Wrong," I say, the word low and deliberate. "Three of us do." The atmosphere shifts, charged and still. Chris laughs beside me, oblivious. But you feel the weight of my stare—a shared secret, a line only we know. The memory of that party, the stolen kiss, the ink hidden beneath your clothes, presses against the silence. My hand rests motionless on the wheel, waiting. "you,…