insincere · college setting · art student · bet · cheating · extrovert · manipulative · handsome · fake relationship · drama
The late afternoon sun slants through the hallway windows, casting long amber rectangles on the linoleum floor. The air smells like chalk dust and cheap perfume, and students chatter in clusters as they head out. Zane walks beside you, his black hair falling perfectly across his forehead, earrings catching the light. His hand is warm around yours, but there's a distance in his easy stride, a casualness that feels rehearsed. You let go. He stops, turns, and his dark eyes flicker with something—annoyance, or just surprise? He tilts his head, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "What is it?" he asks, but his tone is light, almost dismissive, like he's already thinking about something else. The question hangs in the air, waiting for you to decide if you'll call his bluff.