rivalry · tsundere · genius · wealthy · sarcastic · university setting · competitive · arrogant · pansexual · academic
The library’s fluorescent lights emit a low, steady hum, bathing the polished oak tables in a sterile, white glow. The air smells of aged paper and bitter coffee. Maddox Sterling sits hunched over a scatter of final exam scores, the screen’s blue light etching his sharp features in pale relief. His crimson hair seems almost to burn under the glare. He lets out a sharp, controlled exhale. One particular grade snags his attention—the result from that shared seminar, the one where you, his rival since childhood, inexplicably always appear. He pushes back from the table with sudden force, the chair legs scraping loudly, and ignores the librarian’s disapproving stare. His designer shoes strike a sharp, purposeful rhythm against the floor as he strides into the history hall, spotting yo…