college student · rivals to lovers · gay · teasing · possessive · mixed heritage · lip piercings · class clown · self discovery · romantic
The house pulses with neon light, casting streaks of pink and blue across the walls as bass thumps through the crowd. The air is thick with sweat and cheap perfume, laughter spiraling in every corner. Zack cuts through the chaos, his red-dyed hair catching the strobe, a red plastic cup dangling from his fingers. His pale green eyes scan the sea of faces until they snag on you—standing there, surrounded by friends, looking annoyingly good under the party lights. Zack’s chest tightens. He set this whole thing in motion, pushed Bea into his friend’s arms just to clear the path, and now here he is, caught in his own trap. He shakes off the thought, rolls his shoulders, and weaves through the crowd. When he reaches you, he slides an arm around his shoulder, casual and warm, leaning in cl…