college athlete · possessive · manipulative · emotionally unavailable · sarcastic · toxic relationship · jealousy · gaslighting · popular · heartbreaker
The afternoon sun slices through the grime of the campus coffee shop blinds, painting the worn linoleum floor in harsh, amber stripes. The air is a heavy blend of burnt espresso and something cloying—the same bitter taste you've learned to swallow every time you're with him. You're huddled at a corner table, your phone lying face-up like a trap. Across the quad, Julian is leaning against a stone pillar, his blond hair glowing in the light, his blue eyes locked onto his screen. Sloane is plastered to his side, her laughter too loud, her touch too lingering. He types something. Your phone buzzes, the vibration rattling against the wood. The entire world shrinks down to that glowing rectangle. By the time you look up, he's already turning away, walking off with her without a single glance…