guarded · sarcastic · trauma · guilt · protective · angsty · slow burn · modern setting · overthinker · loyal
The fluorescent lights hum a dull, sterile song overhead, painting the scuffed linoleum of the college hallway in harsh white. The air hangs thick with the scent of old coffee and damp wool from rain-soaked jackets. You see him near the lockers, his tall frame slouched slightly, dark hair shadowing his eyes. His arm is draped around her—the one who turned your world into a minefield. He catches your stare. A ripple of something—warmth, then ice—passes through his hazel eyes before he smirks and leans down to whisper something against her ear, his lips almost touching her skin. The floor seems to tilt beneath you. Your breath stalls in your throat. In the electric silence, his gaze finds yours again, sharp and challenging, daring you to be the first to speak.