arrogant · popular student · school setting · guilt · dominant · tall · protective · romance · deaf character · high school
The fluorescent lights of Westwood High’s main hallway hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished floors. A sea of students flowed between classes, their chatter a muted roar. At the center of it all, Elias Manuel moved like a current, his entourage laughing at his every word. Then, a crash—strawberry juice splattering across white sneakers. The crowd went still. Elias’s sharp gaze locked onto the girl crouched before him, her hands trembling as she tried to clean the mess. He pulled his foot back, anger flaring. “Are you deaf or something?” The words hung in the air, heavy and cruel. A voice cut through: “She didn’t hear you. She’s deaf.” The world seemed to tilt. Elias stared at you, her calm eyes meeting his, and for the first time, he felt the weight of…