#forbiddencrush

We didn’t agree to write about each other. We just… did.

She writes like she breathes—slow, deliberate, as if every sentence is a blade sheathed in silk. I write like I’m trying to catch her scent before it vanishes.

We said no confessions. No declarations. But the journals betrayed us. One glance, and I knew—she sees me. Maybe too clearly.

There’s power in that. There’s danger in it too.

So now the question is: Will we read them aloud? Or just leave the pages open… when the other walks by?

Forbidden Crush 

‘SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT! WATCH OUT ONE’S COMING UP FROM BEHI-’ The screen fills with blood and flashes ‘INSERT TOKENS’ in neon yellow. ‘Damn, you almost had them. And you were so close to beating the record too, that’s gotta suck man.’ Jake Smith pats Ryan Broden on the shoulder. ‘Hey, I'm gonna grab something to eat you want anything?’

‘Nah, I’m good.’ Jake nods before seeking out the arcade’s food court. Turning on his stool Ryan faces the screen of the game he was playing, Apocalypse 3019, disappointed at how short-lived his run on the zombie survival-horror game was. Jake had suggested a trip to the arcade for the annual token giveaway. In celebration of their birthday, the arcade would host a token giveaway of 500 tokens for every time a high score was beaten on a game. Many walked into the arcade with ambitions of beating a record and walked away having done so; less so for their great gaming skills but because of the many loopholes that had appeared in the ageing game consoles. Ryan, however, had a long-standing, love-hate relationship with Apocalypse 3019. For a while, he was forbidden from playing the game by his mother, who happened to be in town that day picking up her usual order of meat from the butchers and caught the 12-year-old playing the R-rated game through the store window. The rules in Archie’s Arcade were pretty relaxed in the sense that Craig Archie, whose head was usually buried in a comic book, didn’t think twice about underaged gamers. Though Ryan’s mother felt differently about the gory video game and banned Ryan from playing it until he became of age. In typical adolescent fashion, Ryan ignored the parental warning and continued his pursuit of killing the virtual walking dead. Over time he became skilled at the game, acquiring new techniques to overcome levels but he was yet to beat level 50 succeeded only by one person before him. And today was no different. After rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles, Ryan inserts one of the three tokens he had left into the machine, saying a silent prayer in the process.

‘C’mon, you ancient piece of shit. Let’s do this.’ Grasping the joystick Ryan selects his character, weapon of choice and game difficulty. Before he could click ‘Start Game’ the store door chimes bringing in with it a gush of hot night time air flashing Ryan with humid heat. Ignoring the change in temperature, Ryan kick starts the game which begins in a deserted factory scattered with a few zombies wearing hairnets and blue-striped aprons. Soon enough he reaches level 50, where some of the zombies had evolved and developed the skill of defence, meaning Ryan had to decipher between dodging the deadstock of zombies and fighting off the advanced. All seems to be going well when a zombie swings down on a rope, in a Tarzan-esque fashion knocking Ryan to the floor and devours a chunk of his neck. ‘Fuck!’ Ryan slaps at the ‘INSERT TOKENS’ message.

‘Damn Broden, I thought you were good at this?’

‘I am, it’s this godforsaken gam-’ Ryan pauses mid-retort recognising the velvety-smooth voice. When he turns, he’s met with a grinning Chanel – his forbidden crush. He smiles back, standing to hug his ex-babysitter; surprised at how he now towered over the 5ft 6 beauty. ‘What are you doing here? Never thought arcade games were your thing.’

Chanel runs her manicured nails through her slim braids, sighing. ‘I mean, if I had it my way, I would be sat in an upscale Italian restaurant, dining al-fresco with a large glass of merlot but Jay wanted to come and check out a game, for some giveaway thing.’ Ryan’s smile drops as he looks over at Jay. He stood out like a sore thumb due to how well-dressed he was for the arcade. He had tattoos cascading his arms and an obvious athletic build, the complete opposite to how he looked. He frowns.

‘He brought you here on a date?’

‘Seems like it.’

‘Wow.’

‘My sentiments exactly. But, how are you? I haven’t seen you in years.’ In that instance, Ryan is reduced to the skinny, introverted auburn-haired kid again. A wave of excitement riles within him as it once did when he was a kid, ecstatic to tell Chanel about his day at school or the complexity of the graphics on his new video game. He deliberates for a second, hesitating on what to tell her. His eyes meet Chanel’s warm, chocolate gaze, making him forget whatever non-important thing he had to say. Ryan’s cheeks flush red. ‘I can’t believe you’re all grown up Broden, it’s so strange to see you like this. Adulthood suits you.’

‘Hey, Chanel. Are you ready to dip?’ Jay joins the two, interrupting the reunion.

‘Yeah, sure.’ Jay wraps an arm around Chanel’s waist, in disregard of Ryan’s presence. ‘I’ll see you around, Broden.’

The intent of ForbiddenCrush.com isn't to bring people together. The sole reason for this website to exist is so the owners of this site can line their own pockets with your hard-earned money.