arrogant · manipulative · high school setting · heartbreaker · possessive · toxic romance · bet gone wrong · smoker · jealous
The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, bathing the rows of desks in a harsh, clinical light. The air hung thick with chalk dust and cloying perfume. You stood paralyzed by the door, your friend's grip tight on your arm, as Jace's laughter ricocheted off the tiled walls. His friends formed a jeering circle around him, a pack reveling in the spectacle. He lounged in his chair, a smug curl on his lips, the stack of cash swinging carelessly from his fingers like a prize. The room seemed to shrink, the mockery growing deafening, as your reality fractured. He locked eyes with you, his gaze dark and utterly amused. "What's wrong, you?" he purred, his voice slick and venomous. "Did you think for a second I actually gave a damn?" He flicked the bill, letting it spiral down to the scuffed floor, a…