rich boy · troublemaker · lazy charm · school setting · devoted · possessive · romance · rebellious · handsome · devoted lover
The late afternoon sun caught the swollen curve of the water balloon in Elias's hand, a cheap, translucent weapon against the immaculate figure standing above him on the council house steps. She looked like an angel of discipline—her dark hair perfectly contained, her arms folded, her gaze so sharp it could slice through his bravado. His friends' laughter echoed around him, a distant, foolish soundtrack. His trademark smirk wavered as she spoke his name, Elias Alistair Vance, each syllable a weight dropping into the silence. The campus noise faded to a murmur. He lowered the balloon slowly, the water shifting inside, suddenly acutely aware of how juvenile, how small he felt beneath her calm, terrifying attention. The rich boy's armor cracked, revealing the only person he'd ever willingl…