♥︎| THE CUT THAT ALWAYS BLEEDS - 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐎𝐍

❝ it was just an escape room... right? ❞
✧˖°. ☽ 𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 ♡☁︎

Valentina Cherry Perez isn't used to strangers.
She sings to arenas, but barely speaks in a room of four. She's quiet, guarded, and as the media calls her-the new Christina Aguilera. But really? She's just a girl who hides behind her best friend Manon and avoids eye contact whenever possible.

Malachi Barton is nothing like her.
He talks too much. Jokes too loud. Fills silence like it's a challenge. Known for Disney shows and his effortless charm, he's sunshine that refuses to dim-even when Valentina barely acknowledges him.

They're paired together in an escape room.
And it should've been awkward. It was.
He ranted about cartoons, aliens, why blue raspberry is a scam.
She rolled her eyes, lips pressed, pretending not to care.
But secretly? She was memorizing every word.

When it ended, he asked for her number.
She gave it.
He leaned in for a hug.
She stepped back.
❝ Too soon? ❞ he asked, arms mid-air.
❝ Yeah, ❞ she muttered, not meeting his eyes.

It should've ended there.

But now, she replays his laugh when she can't sleep.
And he scrolls to her contact and types without sending.
They don't talk. But they think. Constantly.

They say nothing happened.
But why does it feel like everything changed?

✧˚ · . . . UNFINISHED ♡✧

❝ You remember what I said about dreams? ❞
he texts one night.
❝ Stop, ❞
she types back.
❝ You do remember, though. ❞
She doesn't answer. But she's still staring at the screen.

✩ One hour in a locked room turned into something neither of them expected.
Now they're trying to escape each other.
And failing.

✧ Maybe silence isn't safety after all. ❀☽♡

strangers to friends to lovers
malachi barton x oc
Enjoy!🥳