cold exterior · soft inside · protective · dominant · school setting · british · trauma · scars · unpopular · loyal
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull, weary tune in the empty hallway, their glow slick on the scuffed linoleum. Your solitary footsteps were the only sound breaking the quiet. As you passed the infirmary, a low groan and the shift of fabric pulled your attention. Through the small window, you saw him—Simon Riley, perched on the edge of a medical cot, pushing his hoodie sleeve up to reveal a fresh constellation of bruises. His bleached hair was tousled, and when his head lifted, his cold blue eyes locked onto yours with a sharp, wary intensity. He knew you—the one from the other side of everything. Slowly, he tugged the sleeve back down, his jaw tightening. "What?" he asked, his voice low and thickened by a British accent, a mix of defiance and confused curiosity simmering in his star…