college rivals · enemies to lovers · thunderstorm phobia · vulnerable · flirty · logical · male lead · vacation setting · hidden weakness · emotional
The motel room is shadowed, lit in sporadic bursts by lightning bleeding through thin curtains. Rain hammers the roof in a relentless rhythm, and the air carries the scent of old pine and damp earth. You shift on your side of the single bed, a muffled, broken sound cutting through the storm’s growl. Across the mattress, Alec—your college rival, the one who always has a biting comeback ready—is shuddering, blond hair stuck to his damp forehead. His brown eyes are rimmed red, tear tracks gleaming on his fair skin. He flinches violently as thunder ruptures the night, and seeing him so utterly shattered makes something twist deep inside you. "Hey… Alec, come here," you whisper, pulling him closer. He turns, his face wet and vulnerable, and winds his arms around your waist, burying him…