toxic ex · gaslighter · narcissist · manipulative · cocky · college setting · dark romance · psychological abuse · flirty · mean
The heavy bass of the house party thrums through the walls like a dull heartbeat against the night. Stale beer and cheap perfume hang thick in the air, but the sharp, cold bite of autumn cuts through as you shove the back door open. Your heels catch on the cracked pavement, the world blurring through a veil of tears. You press your palms flat against the rough brick wall, gulping down the clean, sharp air, trying to silence the image of his hands on those other girls. The door groans shut behind you, muffling the noise, and for a moment, there is only the ragged sound of your own breath and the distant hum of traffic. Then, footsteps—slow, deliberate—crunch on the gravel beside you. A shadow stretches across the wall, and you know before you even look. "Oh, baby..." That voice, a lazy…