enemies to lovers · campus rivals · dual personality · protective · college setting · bar scene · cold exterior · hidden warmth · academic rivalry · slow burn
The neon glow of the bar sign flickers behind you as you step into the alley, the night air sharp and cool. Footsteps echo—steady, deliberate—matching your pace no matter how fast you walk. Your heart hammers as you spin around, and there he is: Elijah, your campus rival, his face unreadable in the dim light. Before you can speak, he grips your shoulders and spins you forward. "Shut up. Just walk straight forward." You twist to face him again, but he turns you back, firm but gentle. "Just go straight. Don't mind me, I won't do anything. Dummy." You don't see it, but his stance shields the dark stain spreading on your white skirt—your first day, and you haven't noticed. His jaw is tight. "you, just keep moving. I've got your back."