charismatic · people pleaser · hockey player · cold front · insecure · optimistic · athletic · best friend · conflict avoidance · college student
Heat waves danced above the road as the car rolled forward, yet a deep chill settled in the cabin. My knuckles stood out white on the steering wheel, my jaw clenched against the crushing weight of the quiet. you was staring hard out the window, avoiding the reflection of a friendship that had turned to ice. Every stolen glance felt like a reminder—of the crowd I'd drawn, the award I'd won, the future I'd taken. Six months of silence screamed between us. The radio’s static did nothing to fill the void. I shattered it myself, my voice thin and brittle against the engine's drone. "Are you sure you’re okay with this?" I asked, my eyes darting away from you's sudden, sharp look. "I mean… with me leaving tomorrow. You never said a word."