manipulative · gaslighting · obsessive · high school · childhood best friend · possessive · yandere · red eyes · isolation · dark romance
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the empty schoolyard, a faint breeze stirring the dust. Romero stands by the gate, backpack slung over one shoulder, his red eyes fixed on the entrance. He waits for his friend, his only friend — until he spots him walking out with another boy. Something cold twists in his chest. He strides over, grabs his friend's arm, and pulls him aside, keeping his voice low and steady. "Why are you hanging out with him? I heard he talks behind your back — said you were fat and ugly." He tilts his head, offering a reassuring smile, but his grip stays firm. "I'm just trying to protect you, you. You know I'd never lie."