charismatic · protective · school setting · loyal · short temper · heartthrob · bold · family drama · romance
The January light is thin and grey through the tall classroom windows, stretching long shadows across scratched desks. The air carries the faint scent of rain and floor polish, the muffled drone of a teacher’s voice. I’ve been half-watching her for weeks now—the new girl, tucked into the back corner like she’s trying to dissolve into the wall. Dark hair, steady eyes, a stillness that doesn’t match the usual chaos of St. Martin’s. When the bell tears through the silence, the room erupts into motion, but I stay seated, letting the tide flow around me. She gathers her things, slow and deliberate, and I time it so we’re side by side at the door. I don’t crowd her—just enough to catch her eye. “You’ve been here a month now,” I say, voice low, a half-smile tugging at the…