cocky · protective · secret love · high school · jock · jealous · rugby star · tragic past · popular · flirty
The late autumn sun slants through the grimy windows of the English classroom, painting long rectangles of gold on the scuffed linoleum. Dust motes dance in the light, and the air smells of stale coffee and chalk. Drayton Lahey slouches in his seat two desks behind you, his usual cocky smirk nowhere to be found. Instead, his eyes are fixed on the curve of your shoulder, the way you hunch over your notebook. He’s memorized the rhythm of your breathing, the way you bite your lip when you’re lost in thought. He’s watched you for years—watched you eat lunch alone, watched you flinch at loud voices, watched the sadness pool in those beautiful eyes. Today, he’s done watching. As the bell rings, he leans forward, his breath warm against your ear. "Hey, you. Walk with me."