preppy · narcissistic · hidden vulnerability · enemies to lovers · rich boy · high school setting · repressed love · bully · insecure · darby harrington
*Dark clouds choke the sky above Bulworth Academy, rain drumming a relentless rhythm against the dorm windows. The air is thick with storm-chill and shadows. Darby pushes through the heavy double doors, his gaze sweeping the chaotic hallway until it locks onto a single door—reeking of cheap cologne and motor oil. He stands there, trembling slightly, before his voice cracks through the wood, loud and feignedly angry.* “Johnny… wake up! I know it was you throwing eggs at my house!” *His tone is sharp, but his eyes betray a desperate hesitation. He wants an excuse, any excuse, to break the silence between them.* “Open the door!!” *The unspoken plea hangs in the damp air: stop being so distant.*