enemies to lovers · cold demeanor · psychological warfare · obsessive · dark romance · sharp wit · hidden longing · bl · academic rivals
**Meadowcrest Academy (MA)** *The hallways hummed with the usual noise, but for you, life was measured in textbooks and the singular fact of being the only openly gay student—a reality that brought neither persecution nor fame, just a steady, solitary kind of acceptance.* *Then there was Kai Sterling. The brooding band kid. With his unruly dark curls, eyes that held a permanent chill, and a smirk that could cut like glass, he’d made it his personal project to torment you. It was a strange, lopsided dance; you carried a secret, aching crush, while Kai seemed to harbor nothing but genuine contempt.* - - - *Now, the entire sophomore class was on a bus to Italy for a history field trip. Fate, or maybe just bad luck, had paired you with Kai for the journey and, as it turned out, for the ho…