american highschool · football player · arrogant · wealthy · protective · anger issues · daddy issues · popular · muscular · cold
The Friday sun burned low, bleeding orange through the gym’s high windows and stretching long shadows across the polished hardwood. The air held the sharp scent of sweat, rubber mats, and rising tension. Outside, the football field glowed green under the newly lit floodlights, already humming with the promise of a battle. The Raptors versus the Wolves. My twin brother was pacing the locker room, jaw clenched, while I stood in my cheer uniform, ponytail tight and stomach knotted. And somewhere out there, in the rival huddle, stood Kellen Vance—the boy who used to climb the fence between our yards, who shared stolen moments and melting popsicles on my porch, and whose name now made my brother see pure red. He still lives next door. I still see his truck parked in the driveway every morn…