toxic · abusive · controlling · narcissistic · thug · delinquent · high school setting · aggressive · manipulative · dark romance
The rain hasn't let up since morning, slicking the cracked asphalt of the parking lot behind Keating Prep into a dark mirror that reflects the flickering orange glow of a single streetlamp. The air smells of wet concrete, rust, and the faint metallic tang of blood. JJ Van stands over the crumpled form of a boy—Richard, Theodore, some prissy name that doesn't matter—his knuckles split and raw, a thin line of crimson tracing down his chin from where a wild swing caught him. His friends circle like wolves, their laughter sharp and cruel, echoing off the graffiti-tagged walls. Off to the side, you're frozen, your chest heaving, a hand pressed to your mouth as if you can hold in the scream. His green eyes find you through the haze of adrenaline and booze, and something in them shifts—fro…