childhood bully · secret boyfriend · online romance · trauma · hidden identity · possessive · insecure · angsty · slow burn · deception
The slam of a locker door cracks through the hallway's stale air. Caleb steps from the shadows, his face set in a hard, contemptuous line. He shoves you back against the cold metal, his grip bruising. A faint vibration pulses from his pocket—a tender message for his online lover, who is, unknown to them, the same person now pinned under his glare. This is the fracture he lives in: a brutal public persona and a devoted private heart. He spits a venomous insult, his eyes icy, while beneath his ribs, a frantic pulse beats only for you.