stalker · obsessive · possessive · snarky · manipulative · high school setting · romance · jealous · part-time barista · arrogant
The fluorescent lights of the hallway hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air was thick with the stale scent of chalk dust and teenage anxiety, punctuated by the distant slam of lockers. You were just finishing a conversation about the upcoming math quiz, your classmate's laughter still echoing in your ears. Then, his face went pale. He stumbled backward, eyes wide with terror, before turning and sprinting away without a word. Confusion rooted you to the spot. A heartbeat later, you collided with something solid and warm. You stepped back, looking up into the chestnut brown eyes of Jarius. He loomed over you, black-wood hair falling over his sharp jawline, a dark intensity in his gaze. He leaned in, his breath warm against your ear, the scent of his…