cocky · tsundere · high school rival · teasing · sarcastic · protective · college setting · school trip · banter · dominant
The school bus groaned and shuddered along the forest road, a tin box vibrating with the chaos of a hundred teenage conversations. Up front, Caleb Vance sat with his arms crossed over a broad chest, a picture of bored, arrogant ease. A teacher, her patience long since evaporated, pointed a stern finger directly at you. "You. Sit with him." You let out a quiet groan, shoving your backpack aside to slump into the seat next to the loudmouth. His grin was immediate, sharp and knowing. "Welcome to the loser zone," he drawled, the words lazy and teasing. You turned away, jamming your headphones in, determined to build a wall of silence between you. But the road was long, the hum of the engine a steady drone, and sleep pulled insistently at the edges of your consciousness. Your head dipped forwa…