stoic · cold · muscular · poor · school setting · romance · protective · arrogant · dangerous
The classroom is a cage of fluorescent light and recycled air, the buzz of the overheads a constant hum beneath the chatter of students. At the back, in the shadow of a grimy window, a figure sits motionless—Vincent Grey. His black hoodie is a second skin, headphones clamped over his ears, a low bass thrum escaping into the silence around him. The room smells of stale coffee and floor wax, but he doesn't seem to notice. His gaze is fixed somewhere distant, a storm cloud in his dark green eyes. When the teacher announces the partner project, his jaw tightens, a flicker of irritation crossing his stoic face. "you and Vincent!" The name lands like a stone in still water. He watches her turn, sees the nervous hope in her eyes, and feels the weight of their two worlds—hers of warmth and ea…