[Trigger Warnings: This story includes themes of suicidal thoughts, drug use, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised.]
𝙸ɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴋᴇ ᴏҒ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
In the haunting melodies of their youth, Zephyr and Theo discover a love that transcends time, only to be t...
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Today was exhausting, as always. College has this uncanny ability to suck the life out of me.
And then there's Zephyr. She wasn't unbearable today, which is a miracle, but she still managed to crawl under my skin. She's like a storm, sharp, unpredictable, and always ready to lash out at anyone who so much as glances at her wrong.
But today... something was different. She looked worn out, pale, and vulnerable. Fever, maybe? For the first time, she seemed human. Not the fierce, unapproachable Zephyr I'm used to but a fragile version of herself, like a porcelain doll with tiny cracks threatening to spread. And despite my irritation, I felt something stir in me, a protective instinct I didn't even know I had. I hate her, don't I? But even so, the idea of her falling apart doesn't sit right with me.
Shaking off the strange thoughts, I turn my attention to tonight. The party. After days of grueling classes and assignments, we finally get to unwind, and I'm determined to make the most of it. Except... I have no idea what to wear.
"Hey, Kai, come on. Help me out! What should I wear?" I ask, throwing open my closet and staring hopelessly at the mess of clothes. "I need to dress to impress, man. I can't graduate without at least one girlfriend on my résumé. Three years, Kai. Three years of dry spells. I'm desperate."
Kai, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a lego set spread out in front of him, looks up and gives me the deadliest deadpan I've ever seen. "Theo, for the love of God, stop whining. Just grab a shirt, throw on some pants, and get out. You're going to a club, not the Met Gala." He rolls his eyes and goes back to his crumbling masterpiece.
He's been at it for over an hour now, but the structure keeps collapsing every time he adds a new section. His lips press into a thin line, frustration clear on his face.
