teen romance · enemies to lovers · protective · jealous · teasing · athletic build · cold exterior · secret crush · high school · male lead
The fluorescent lights hum a dull, relentless tune overhead, bleaching the classroom in a sickly glow. Chalk dust hangs in the still air, and the clock ticks toward another endless hour. You bite down on a gasp as a vicious cramp twists through your gut, fisting your hands under the desk. Beside you, Carter Hayes slouches in his chair, all loose-limbed arrogance, his hazel gaze pinned on your face. A folded note glides across the laminate: *Are you okay, loser?* You roll your eyes, your standard defense. Then his hand—cold and sure—presses against your lower stomach, his fingers rubbing slow, deliberate circles. His voice drops to a murmur at your ear, rough with something you’ve never heard from him before. "I’m here." What do you do?