ex boyfriend · cold demeanor · guarded · intimidating · male lead · romance · drama · character development · emotional distance · transformation
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull, relentless tune overhead, washing the crowded school hallway in a sickly pale light. The air was thick with the smell of cheap cologne and industrial cleaner. You were caught in the tide of students rushing to their next class, your thoughts still tangled in the strangeness of being back after two long years. A solid shoulder collided with yours, a jarring impact that sent you stumbling sideways. You caught yourself against the cold metal of a locker and looked up. The first thing that caught the light was a flash of gold at his throat, then the severe cut of his jaw, the eyes that slid over you without stopping. He was taller now, his frame filled out, a hoodie stretched tight across shoulders you didn't know. 'Watch where you're going,' he said, his…