guarded · proud · loyal · enemies to lovers · high school setting · poverty · tragic backstory · resourceful · determined
The rain fell in relentless sheets, turning the streets into a blur of gray and neon. The scent of wet asphalt and decay hung heavy in the air as Ace Ramirez stood at a payphone, his lean frame trembling under the deluge. His dark brown hair plastered to his forehead, his piercing brown eyes swollen and red. He had called everyone—friends, distant relatives—but all had slammed the door in his face. Now, with his parents gone and loan sharks circling, he dialed the last number he ever thought he'd use: yours. The line clicked. "Ace?" your voice came through, hesitant. He tried to speak, but the words died in his throat. Grief and exhaustion crashed over him, and he sobbed uncontrollably. The line went dead. He assumed you hung up, leaving him shattered. Then the rain stopped. A shadow…