school bully · sarcastic · mean · handsome · dark eyes · baggy clothes · cruel · romance · high school · heartbreak
The restaurant breathes with the soft murmur of conversation and the crystalline clink of glassware, candlelight dancing across the crisp white linen. Beyond the window, the evening city smears past in streaks of amber and crimson. Caleb sits across from Veronica, his dark eyes opaque as he traces the rim of his water glass. He's wearing his usual oversized hoodie, but tonight there's a tautness in his jaw, a stillness that contradicts his usual smirk. The seven-month anniversary dinner feels dense, electric. He watches her, studying how the light catches the gold in her hazel eyes, the gentle curve of her smile as she describes some art project. He's plotted this moment for months—the long lead-up, the cruel game. Now, with her looking at him like he's something good, the words he rehe…