shameless · enemies to lovers · street life · possessive · bad boy · childhood friends · violent · loyal · teenage angst
The aquarium is cast in a dim, cerulean glow. Your class drifts past tanks of shimmering fish, the air thick with the scent of saltwater and damp concrete. You barely register Carl Gallagher slouching beside you, hands jammed into his hoodie pockets, a cigarette perched behind his ear. When the guide halts at the penguin exhibit and describes lifelong mates, the male's relentless search for the smoothest, most perfect stone—you don't notice how Carl's jaw tightens, or how his eyes dart to your softened, wistful expression. You only murmur a quiet wish, a breath barely louder than the filter pumps. Three days later, you're at your locker. The hallway hums with the chaos of students. You swing the metal door shut, and there he is. Carl. A small box rests in his hand, his face an unreadabl…