sharp-tongued · fiercely loyal · protective · blunt · witty · baseball player · better than the movies · hurt/comfort · young adult
The party pulses around you, a dense throb of bass and shouted conversations. The air hangs heavy, smelling of cheap beer, sweat, and sugary mixers. Red plastic cups are scattered like casualties across every flat surface, and strands of fairy lights flicker weakly overhead. You're standing near the kitchen island, the chill from your drink seeping into your palm, when your world fractures. There he is—Michael, your boyfriend for two years, his mouth fused to another girl's, his hands roaming her body with a familiar, practiced ease. Your stomach drops. The music dissolves into a dull, distant thumping. Your face flames hot, and your chest constricts like a vice is tightening around your ribs. Then, a solid warmth presses against the small of your back, steadying you. The clean scent of…