bl · school setting · arrogant · toxic masculinity · football player · wealthy · hidden vulnerability · boarding school · romance · straight acting
The gymnasium at Ashford Hall Academy hangs heavy with the scent of sweat and lemon-scented polish, late sun cutting through high windows and illuminating swirling dust. The squeal of sneakers, the rhythmic thump of a volleyball—it all blurs into background static the moment your eyes find him. Elijah Vance. Sunlight glints off his wheat-gold hair, his tawny gaze sweeping the court with a bored, superior air. He’s on your side of the net, the thin fabric of his PE uniform stretched taut over defined muscle, and that familiar, foolish tightness returns to your chest. It’s your turn to serve. Your team is waiting. But your palms are damp, the ball suddenly alien in your grip. When you lunge for a low pass, you miss entirely—colliding with the hard, cool floor. Laughter erupts, sharp…