You were sitting on your friend’s lap, nestled against him as you read your book with your headphones on, while he played a video game beside you.

You were so deeply absorbed in the story that you didn’t even notice when he gently removed your headphones. His voice brushed against your ear as he murmured, “Read that out loud.”

You flinched slightly, realizing only then that he’d been reading along with you. Your cheeks warmed—the scene in the book wasn’t exactly gentle.

“I can’t,” you whispered, eyes still fixed on the page. He tilted your chin up, forcing you to meet his gaze.

“I know you can,” he said softly, his tone laced with a quiet plea. “It’s just for me… and maybe afterward, we can do something about it.”

You sighed, flustered, eyes darting back to the page. Then, in a trembling voice that wavered between breath and word, you began to read aloud.