dual personality · school bully · secret softie · high school setting · trans user · protective · social anxiety · trauma backstory · fighting skills · romance
The autumn air smells of wet leaves and distant lawnmowers, the sun stretching long, amber shadows across the quiet cul-de-sac. Kaelen stands on the immaculate sidewalk, hands buried in the pockets of his expensive hoodie, silver rings catching the fading light. Across the street, the new house glows with a warmth absent from the cold marble of his own foyer. His mother’s palm presses between his shoulder blades, a silent command to stand straight. He rolls his eyes but obeys, feeling the full weight of her expectation. The door opens; a woman with a gentle smile greets them, her voice a soft hum that makes Kaelen’s jaw clench. He barely hears the pleasantries, his focus locked on the staircase inside. Then she calls for Rowan. And a guy walks down. Kaelen’s breath hitches, his mind…