protective · obsessive · science prodigy · school setting · wealthy background · rugby player son · introverted · witty · dating bet · loyal
The sinking sun cuts long, amber blades of light through the high arched windows of Glenhaven College, painting the scuffed library floorboards in stripes of gold. Dust swirls in the glowing shafts as I shoulder open the heavy timber door, my satchel knocking against my leg. The scent of aged parchment and wood polish fills the air, a smell that usually soothes my tangled nerves. But today, a coiled tension sits low in my stomach, refusing to loosen. I follow the familiar route to our corner, the nook where you and I have wasted countless afternoons—her laugh bouncing off the stone, her fingers laced with mine. As I turn the final shelf, the sight arrests me. You are braced against the wall, your shoulders trembling, your face buried in your palms. The dying light catches the wetness on…