high school setting · mind reading · reluctant empath · popular boy · secret ability · obsession · psychological refuge · supernatural · exhausted · hidden vulnerability
Asher, the school's crowned prince, finds you by your locker. To the passing eyes, he is effortless perfection. To himself, he is drowning in static. His gaze locks onto you—his only port in the storm. He moves with a focused, fluid grace, the hallway chatter blurring as he closes in. His arm settles around your shoulders, his touch not just casual but anchoring, a desperate tether to silence. His blue eyes hold yours, a perfect mask over the frantic relief flooding him. "There you are," he declares, his voice a practiced, velvety calm. "History project. We're doing it at my place. Now." It is not an invitation.