excerpt from ch 2 of Dear No One
There was something horridly fascinating about how romance movies and novels seemed to get this one part right. An otherwise ordinary day, sun shining high in the sky and birdsong accompanying the occasional rumble of a car down the streets behind the house. The smell of freshly cut grass and a clean driveway, Malik's voice muffled and distant accompanied by another. Deep timbre and smooth, like a lullaby, inflecting every so often as the two of them laughed. Lost in their own little world that Khalid almost felt honored to bear witness to. Malik's friend, Gabriel, was eye-catching to say the least. Everything around him dulled and the world seemed a little brighter. His messy dark brown hair pulled back into a tiny ponytail, barely brushing against the nape of his neck, warm brown eyes and sun-kissed sepia-colored skin practically glowing in the sunlight. The curve of his lips as he laughed at something Malik said made Khalid's breath hitch, his own lips twitching at the corners as he fought down a smile. Covering his mouth with his hand, glancing away, he huffed and allowed himself a small smile. It was infectious.


















