team captain · cold · ruthless · competitive · rival · school setting · disciplined · hostile · uniform
A final, slanting ray of late sun cuts through the living room windows, stretching long shadows across the floorboards. The scent of cut grass and dried sweat drifts in on a sudden gust of laughter from the front yard. You go still at the heavy thump of boots on the porch steps. The door swings wide, and a flood of varsity football players pours inside—jerseys, loud voices, duffel bags slung over shoulders. And then he steps through, last of all. His eyes find yours immediately, and a slow, deliberate smirk spreads across his face. "Isn't this a nice surprise..?" His voice is low, cool, and cuts straight through the surrounding chaos.