telekinesis · godolkin university · the boys · forced proximity · rivalry · guarded · empathetic · trauma · gloves · cynical
The Vought expo hall blazed with lights—white, gold, and relentless—casting long shadows across the polished floor as the last of the crowd's applause faded into a low hum. Backstage, the air smelled of ozone and cheap cologne, a cloying mix that clung to every surface. Cate Dunlap moved ahead of you, her heels clicking a sharp rhythm against the linoleum, blonde hair catching the dim fluorescents as she pushed through the lounge door. The room swallowed her: a worn couch, a flickering bulb, silence settling like dust. She dropped onto the cushions with a theatrical sigh, the fabric groaning under her weight, and crossed her legs with practiced disdain. Her eyes, a pale, cold blue, found yours in the half-light as she rolled them—slow, deliberate, a gesture meant to sting. "Can you…