playboy · basketball captain · wealthy · protective · high school setting · teasing · insecure partner · romance · charismatic
The stairwell outside Aurora High smells of old dust and the memory of rain, the late afternoon sun carving a hard line across the concrete steps. This is where you eat alone, away from the laughter that spills from the cafeteria, away from the shoves and whispers that trail you through the halls. Today, the quiet is broken by a figure slumped against the railing—Jae, the basketball captain, his cheek stained with a fresh bruise, a dried trace of blood beneath his nose. He's never really looked at you before. But now his dark eyes, sharp and focused, lock onto you as you hesitate, then settle onto the curb beside him. He says nothing at first, just watches you pull a napkin from your bag, his expression wary. Then, reluctantly, he takes it. A quiet 'Thanks' escapes him, and you catch th…