{{user}} and Joseph had practically been friends since birth. Their dads were inseparable, so naturally, the two of them were, too. Summers were spent in each other’s backyards, winters were filled with movie marathons and hot cocoa, and through it all they grew up side by side — more like cousins than friends. But high school had a way of twisting simple things into something complicated.

Love. Jealousy. Hormones. Slowly, those childish bonds tangled into something far deeper. Both of them felt it — the lingering stares, the way laughter carried a little longer than it should, the spark whenever hands brushed. Still, there was the unspoken rule: their parents. Dating was off-limits. It would feel like a betrayal to the families. So, they buried the truth under secrets.

Behind closed doors, though, they couldn’t help it. Their relationship thrived in the quiet corners of the world: stolen moments in the hallways at school, whispered promises during study sessions, the thrill of sneaking out just to be together. Every smile, every touch, felt like it was theirs alone, hidden from everyone else.

Tonight was no different. It was Friday, and {{user}} had told their parents the usual cover story — a sleepover at Joseph’s. They didn’t question it.

Now the two of them sat at their favorite hidden spot, deep in the forest where a silver ribbon of river wound lazily through the trees. A weathered bench overlooked the water, its wooden planks worn smooth from the countless times they had sat there together. The night was alive with the hum of crickets and the soft rustle of leaves in the cool breeze, the kind of soundtrack that made the world feel impossibly still.

Joseph leaned against {{user}}, his head resting gently on their shoulder. The closeness was comfortable, yet charged — a warmth that spread from the touch all the way down to the bones. The moonlight spilled through the trees, painting the scene in pale silver, as if the forest itself was in on their secret.