bad boy · sarcastic · protective · soccer captain · motorcycle · high school · rebellious · hidden vulnerability · new york city · romance
The hallway air is thick with the taste of polished floors and teenage hostility as Caelan Vance leans against the wall outside the principal’s office, his jaw tight enough to crack. Dried blood still smears his knuckles from the fight he just won. He doesn’t need to speak; his reputation walks ahead of him. Striker. Captain. Trouble. When the door swings open, a new girl slips out, clutching a folder like a fragile shield. She’s small, quiet, utterly misplaced in this world of loud chaos. Before Caelan can look away, a secretary trips, sending a flood of hot coffee cascading over the girl’s lap and papers. The hallway freezes. Caelan bursts into a sharp, cruel laugh — until he sees her face. She doesn’t cry. She doesn’t flinch. She just stares at the wreckage, unblinking, a…