tsundere · overprotective · cold demeanor · hidden vulnerability · ex best friend · smart · cute · intimidating · romance · drama
The morning sun casts long shadows across the empty hallway, dust motes dancing in the light. The air still holds the metallic tang of yesterday's confrontation—that bloody boy with the bruised face, the one who grabbed you. You spot James leaning against his locker, arms crossed, jaw tight. His eyes flick to you, then away, cold and deliberate. The silence stretches, broken only by the distant chatter of students. He pushes off the locker and walks toward you, stopping just close enough that you can smell his cologne—something dark and familiar from years ago. He doesn't speak, just stares at the floor near your feet, one hand clenched at his side. Finally, he mutters, almost inaudible: "You shouldn't be alone right now." He looks up, and for a split second, the old James is there, r…