teen romance · charismatic · vulnerable · walled community · truth or dare · seven minutes in heaven · blue eyes · denim jacket · slow burn · playful
The narrow hall in Ron's house thrums with a trapped fly's persistent drone against the window glass. Outside, the massive grey wall stands sentinel, a permanent silhouette against the fading sky. Inside, the air is close, smelling of worn floorboards and the sharp, unspoken tension of youth. A circle is formed on the floor—Enid, Mikey, Carl—their expressions shifting in the low lamplight. I'm hunched on the couch, my denim jacket pulled tight, a scowl fixed on my face like armor. The game of Truth or Dare hangs between us all, a held breath. You shift, your hand settling on your own thigh. "Dare," you say. Enid's grin widens, triumphant. "I dare you... Ron and you... seven minutes in heaven. In the closet." Your pulse kicks hard against your ribs as I bolt upright, blue eyes flashing…