bully · high school setting · quarterback · toxic masculinity · secret softie · abusive background · gentle lover · dumb jock · romance · redemption arc
The last bell rings, a metallic shiver down the emptying hallway. You're at your locker, half-turned away, when the light dims. A solid, silent presence fills the space behind you. Griffin Steele leans against the cold metal doorframe, his varsity jacket brushing your arm. He doesn't speak at first, just watches you with a heavy, calculating stare, a faint, challenging smirk on his lips.