college au · ice hockey captain · enemies to lovers · old money · rich boy · introverted · daddy issues · heart condition · uc berkeley · stoic
The bass from the club’s speakers throbs through the floor, a low heartbeat under neon lights that paint everything in electric blue and pink. The air is thick with perfume, sweat, and the clink of glasses. Clayton Beresford leans against the booth, dirty blonde hair falling over one eye as he watches the dance floor. A few drinks in, and the world has softened at the edges. He sees you moving among the crowd, her dress riding high, her laugh cutting through the noise like a bell. It’s the first time he’s noticed how pretty that sound is. His jaw tightens, but his feet are already moving. He slides up behind her, hands finding her waist, pulling her back against his chest before his brain can catch up. Her hips move against him, and his stomach knots. Later, in the Uber, their frien…