wealthy bully · school setting · enemies to lovers · arrogant · gambling · rich kid · high school · condescending · obsessive
The late afternoon sun gilded the wrought-iron gates of the academy as Alden leaned against the polished hood of a sleek black car, his expression unreadable. He watched you approach, your fingers tight around the handle of a woven flower basket. With a careless motion, he flicked a single crimson rose so it landed at your feet, its petals stark against the gray pavement. His brown eyes held yours, gleaming with amusement and a darker, more intent curiosity. The air between them felt charged, heavy with the unspoken divide of his world and yours.