#they both have a phd in yearnology...

[yois2aki]

wc. 1.3k

the cabin was dimly lit, the soft glow of lanterns casting flickering shadows across the wooden floor. the group was huddled in a loose circle, the empty bottle in the center still spinning from the latest turn. laughter echoed through the room, loud and teasing, but your mind was stuck on one thing.

the bottle had landed on you.

and now, your fate was sealed.

“truth or dare?” one of your classmates grinned, leaning forward.

you hesitated. truth was safer. truth would keep you from humiliating yourself. but knowing these guys, they’d make you confess something embarrassing, probably about caleb, and you were not about to do that in front of him.

“…dare,” you finally said, regretting it the second the words left your mouth.

“ohh, i’ve got the perfect one!” one of the girls clapped her hands together, practically vibrating with excitement. “you and caleb—seven minutes in heaven. right now.”

your stomach plummeted.

the group exploded into cheers, some gasping in exaggerated shock, others cackling like they had just won the lottery.

beside you, caleb tensed, though his face remained neutral.

“seriously?” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “this is the best you guys can come up with?”

“hey, rules are rules,” one of the guys smirked. “unless you’re scared?”

caleb let out a slow exhale before turning his head slightly toward you. his voice was low, meant only for you. “you okay with this?”

your heart pounded. you and caleb had been best friends since childhood, but this—this felt like uncharted territory.

“…it’s just seven minutes, right?” you mumbled, trying to ignore the heat rising to your face.

caleb’s lips twitched slightly, something unreadable in his gaze. “guess so.”

before you could process what was happening, hands were on your back, shoving you both toward the small, creaky supply closet. you barely caught a glimpse of caleb’s expression before the door clicked shut behind you, plunging you both into darkness.

the air was thick, the scent of old wood and fabric softener filling the small space. you barely had room to move without brushing against him, and the only light came from the sliver beneath the door, casting faint shadows across the walls.

you exhaled slowly, pressing your back against the wall, trying to ignore how close he was.

“well,” caleb’s voice broke the silence, low and amused, “this is cozy.”

you scoffed. “if you like being locked in a tiny closet.”

“depends on the company,” he mused.

your heart skipped. “you’re so annoying.”

he chuckled under his breath.

a few seconds passed. then a minute.

outside, someone whispered, “do you think they’ll actually do something?” followed by a harsh shush.

caleb sighed. “they’re just waiting for us to crack.”

“or for us to—” you stopped yourself, suddenly very aware of what this game usually involved.

caleb smirked, even in the dark. “kiss?”

your face burned. “don’t say it out loud!”

he leaned in slightly, just enough to make you feel the shift. “why? getting ideas?”

you swatted his arm. “shut up!"

silence stretched between you, thick and unbearable. caleb shifted, his shoulder brushing yours briefly before he leaned back against the opposite wall.

outside, muffled giggles and whispers could barely be heard through the wooden door. you had no doubt your classmates were listening.

“they’re totally waiting for us to do something,” you muttered.

caleb huffed a quiet laugh. “probably hoping for a scandal.”

he rapped his knuckles against the door suddenly, making you jump. “hey!” his voice was loud and teasing. “you guys really just gonna sit out there and eavesdrop?”

chaos erupted outside.

“what?! no!!”

“shut up, caleb!!”

“we weren’t listening, we swear!”

caleb smirked. “sure.”

you groaned. “why are you like this?”

“gotta keep them on their toes.”

a few beats of silence passed. you could feel the warmth of his presence, could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing in the quiet.

then, in a softer voice, he asked, “you nervous?”

you hesitated before answering. “a little. it’s… weird, right?”

“yeah,” he admitted. “kinda is.”

silence stretched between you, thick with something unspoken. this moment was awkward to say the least—to be forced in such a challenging scenario with none other than the childhood friend you grew up with and had the most foolish crush on was nothing but flustering.

you shuffled your feet. “this is the longest seven minutes of my life.”

“is it?” his voice dipped slightly. “feels kinda short to me.

you turned your head slightly, trying to make out his expression in the dim light. “you’re being weirdly calm about this.”

he exhaled. “trust me, i’m trying.”

your breath hitched. “trying?”

“not to think too much about it.”

your stomach flipped. “about what?”

he hesitated, then muttered, “you.”

your pulse skyrocketed.

the silence that followed was deafening, and you tried to pretend those words didn't come out of his mouth.

he shifted again, this time closer. “wanna sit?” he asked suddenly, as if needing to break the tension.

you blinked. “on the floor?”

“unless you wanna sit on my lap—”

“no!”

he snorted. “relax, i was joking.”

you huffed, lowering yourself down, hugging your knees to your chest. caleb followed, sitting across from you, his back against the opposite wall.

it was still too close. your legs brushed slightly, and neither of you moved away.

caleb shifted again, his movements slow, deliberate. “i think we should mess with them,” he said after a moment.

you blinked. “what?”

“just to freak them out a little.”

before you could respond, he knocked on the door again—this time, slower.

“hey,” he called, his voice dipping just slightly. “you might want to give us a few extra minutes...“

outside, your classmates screamed.

“what the hell?!”

“no. no, stop.”

“open the door right now!”

“caleb, what did you do?!”

you smacked his arm, face burning. “you’re actually the worst!

he was laughing now, a low, warm sound, and you could practically feel his smug grin. “oh, come on, that was good.”

outside, someone knocked on the door. “y’all making out yet?”

caleb shot a glare at the door. “oh, definitely,” he called back sarcastically. “best seven minutes of my life.”

a chorus of groans followed. “ugh, you’re the worst!”

“hey, if you wanted details, you should’ve picked a different guy!”

you buried your face in your hands. “why are you like this?”

“what, you want me to give them a show?”

you refused to dignify that with a response.

caleb shifted again, voice lower now. “for real, though. you okay?”

you nodded. “just… wasn’t expecting this tonight.”

“you and me both.”

a few more seconds passed.

then, in an almost hesitant voice, he asked, “you ever thought about it?”

your stomach flipped. “thought about what?”

“us.”

you froze. “…what about us?”

caleb exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. “never mind.”

“caleb.”

he let out a quiet laugh, almost self-deprecating. “just… wondering if the idea ever crossed your mind, that’s all.”

your heart pounded. “i..."

another stretch of silence. your heartbeat was out of control.

then, quieter, caleb spoke again. “but seriously.”

you swallowed. “what?”

he hesitated, then let out a breath. “you know i wouldn’t— i mean, if it were someone else in here with me, i’d probably be trying to claw my way out.”

your stomach twisted. “but because it’s me…?”

caleb’s voice was barely above a whisper. “i don’t mind it.”

your whole body felt like it was on fire.

and before you could even begin to process what that meant, the door suddenly burst open, light flooding the tiny closet.

“seven minutes, exactly!” someone declared. “so… what happened?”

caleb stretched his arms, looking entirely unbothered. “wouldn’t you like to know?”

your classmates groaned, but you barely heard them over the pounding in your ears.

caleb stretched, looking entirely unbothered, but as he passed you, he leaned in slightly, voice just for your ears to hear.

“we’ll finish that conversation later.

you swore your brain short-circuited.