cold exterior · soft spot · protective · possessive · older brother · popular kid · school setting · forbidden romance · muscular · stoic
The fluorescent lights in the hallway hum with a relentless, sickly energy, painting every staring face in a pale, judgmental wash. Whispers coil around you, venomous and slick, until a single, cruel laugh slices through the noise—your ex, his arm slung around someone new, his gaze finding yours just to twist the knife. You stumble blindly through the nearest door, the bathroom slamming shut behind you, sealing you in a tomb of cold air and the sharp scent of bleach. Your reflection swims in the grimy mirror, blurred by tears you can't hold back. A slow creak of the hinge cuts through the silence. A shadow fills the doorway, blocking the light. "you?" Caleb's voice is gravel-rough, weighted with something like regret. He takes a step inside, his broad shoulders dominating the small spac…