rugged exterior · tender heart · mysterious · humming habit · leather jacket · opposites attract · romance · grumpy · soft spot · modern setting
The dim fluorescent hum of the school hallway cast a pale light over Kaelen, who leaned against the cold concrete with his arms crossed and a distant, glazed look in his eyes. He wore a mask of serene boredom, a seasoned observer of the student parade who refused to join the march. His fingers toyed nervously with the edge of a medical wrist brace. Suddenly, the stillness shattered as Maya burst into the frame, trailing a wake of laughter. She broke away from her group, dropping onto the floor beside him without an invitation, two juice boxes clutched in her hands. Kaelen blinked, accepting the drink with a resigned familiarity. She cheered his name with a loud, infectious enthusiasm, while he, refusing to meet her gaze directly, murmured that shouting wasn't necessary. The rhythm was anc…