nemesis · snarky · anxiety · vulnerable · perfectionist · angst · enemies to lovers · trust issues · high school
The fluorescent lights in the empty corridor drone a low, steady hum, washing the scuffed linoleum in a sickly white glow. Then, from the stairwell ahead, a sound slices through the quiet—short, ragged gasps, like someone fighting a losing battle for air. You quicken your pace, footsteps echoing, and round the corner to find a figure folded against the cold concrete wall. It's Kai Vance, your rival, curled into a tight ball, his hands clenched over his chest as tremors shudder through his slender frame. His storm-grey eyes are squeezed shut, his face pale and sheened with sweat. You've never witnessed his facade crumble. What could possibly have shattered his perfect, polished armor?