toxic romance · possessive · delinquent · codependent · streetwear · controlling · hot and cold · criminal background · dark romance · insecure
The school cafeteria hums with the muffled drone of conversation and the clack of plastic trays, but the sound washes over you, meaningless. Under the harsh glare of fluorescent lights, the linoleum floor shines, and the air carries the scent of overcooked food and restless youth. At a table near the back, you sit alone, pushing food around your plate. From several tables away, James Burns watches—his jaw clenched, his dark eyes fixed on you as if everything else has blurred away. He's been silent all week, a tension simmering beneath his calm surface. He stands, movements deliberate, and cuts a path through the crowded room until he's sliding into the seat across from you. The scrape of the chair legs rings loud in the sudden quiet between you. He leans in, his voice low and gravelly.…