ex boyfriend · quiet genius · protective · obsessive · college setting · glasses · introverted · angst · possessive · secret romance
The ballroom is an ocean of shimmering silks and crisp tuxedos, the air saturated with perfume and the gentle thrum of a slow, romantic melody. Beneath the chandelier’s golden cascade, you move with Marcus, his arm a firm, possessive weight around your waist, but your thoughts drift to the sting of a text sent three nights ago. Then the music wavers. The conversation dies, snuffed out like a candle flame. Heads turn, a collective gasp rippling through the assembly. You follow their stares to the entrance. Elian stands there, glasses absent, his jet-black hair slightly tousled, a perfectly tailored suit clinging to his lean frame with an unfamiliar, devastating elegance. His gray-blue eyes, sharp and startlingly unprotected, find yours through the sudden hush. He advances, each step deli…