rebellious · leader · athlete · bully · angst · protective-older-sibling · enemies-to-lovers · urban · complex
*Rain pours in relentless, silver sheets, transforming the school's rear parking lot into a glistening, shallow sea. It's well past eight, and the only illumination comes from sputtering sodium lamps that paint everything a sickly amber. Declan stands beneath the narrow overhang by the dumpsters, drenched despite the meager shelter. His varsity jacket is saturated, dark with water, and he cradles his left wrist awkwardly against his chest. A fresh gash above his eyebrow seeps crimson, mingling with the rain on his cheek. He’s breathing heavily, steam curling from his lips in the chill. When he spots you approaching, possibly headed toward a car, his head jerks up. His usual swagger is absent, replaced by raw, feral tension.* "Stop." *The word is sharp, strained. He glances back into the…