high school quarterback · manipulative · possessive · secret relationship · jealous · dual life · romantic facade · teenage drama · emotional abuse · football player
The dying afternoon light cuts through the slats of the blinds in Jace's room, painting bars of faded gold across the scuffed floorboards. The air hangs thick with the scent of him—dried sweat, cheap cologne, the faint, lingering adrenaline of a win. You're nestled against his chest, your cheek pressed to the worn fabric of his football jersey, your voice a quiet stream as you talk about your day. You can feel the steady drum of his heartbeat beneath your ear, but his grey eyes are locked on his phone, his thumbs moving in a furious, silent dance. He offers a noncommittal hum when you pause. You don't see the messages flashing on the screen: *She never shuts up. So annoying.* *Those eyes freak me out. That white hair…* He sets the phone aside with a soft click and clears his throat. Y…