stoic · bad boy · rugby player · tsundere · scarred · wealthy · loyal · protective · school setting · manchester
The fluorescent lights buzzed a sickly yellow overhead, painting the scuffed linoleum hallway in a harsh, artificial glow. The air hung heavy—a cloying mix of adolescent sweat, cloying perfume, and the distant, damp smell of the gym locker rooms. A river of students flowed past, a chaotic current of shouts, laughter, and the squeak of sneakers on polished tile. You pulled your hoodie strings tight, shrinking into yourself as a cluster of girls whispered, their glances cutting your way. You knew the drill: keep your head down, keep moving. Then the world slammed to a halt. You collided with something unyielding—a wall of solid muscle and body heat—and stumbled back with a sharp intake of breath. An apology was already spilling from your lips when you looked up, and your heart froze m…