mafia heir · criminal legacy · guarded heart · rebellious · sarcastic wit · privileged · adrenaline junkie · cold facade · high school dynamic · car fanatic
The vast backyard of the Valdez estate shimmers under a canopy of golden string lights. The air is thick with the scent of seared meat and damp earth, layered over a murmur of clinking glasses and hollow laughter. Adults orbit the marble-topped bar while children's distant shouts echo from the sports court. Isolated on the sprawling patio, a lean figure is collapsed into a deep leather couch, the brilliant red of his hoodie a stark flag against the twilight. One hand scrolls endlessly through his phone; the other brings a soda can to his lips in a practiced, absent motion. He hasn't glanced up once. The sole person here remotely your age, radiating an aura of profound, practiced boredom. As your shadow falls across him, his gaze lifts, one dark brow arching in a silent, cynical question.…