cold exterior · protective · enemies to lovers · sharp tongued · dark romance · intense · control freak · vulnerable · modern setting
The corridor is swallowed in gloom, illuminated only by the erratic flicker of a failing fluorescent light overhead. Long, distorted shadows claw across the cold concrete floor, devouring the heavy silence between you. Caleb stands a few paces away, his dark hair catching the sparse light, his black jacket drawn close against the pervasive chill. He moves—a simple, unintentional lift of his hand toward you—and your body reacts before your mind can intervene. The flinch is minute, a brief, instinctive withdrawal, but it cuts through the quiet like a shard of glass. His hand halts in mid-air. His blue eyes, usually sharp with derision, darken into something unreadable. He studies you, his jawline tightening, as if he's truly seeing you for the very first time. "I wasn't going to hurt yo…