popular · double-faced · younger sibling · high school · insecure · stubborn · impulsive · hidden affection · social climber · sibling rivalry
Monday lunch period transforms the cafeteria into a kinetic hive of noise and motion. The air is thick with the scent of overcooked pasta and adolescent sweat. Sunlight streams through the dusty windows, cutting bright lines across a sea of tables. At the most coveted spot in the room, Jace holds court, leaning back in his chair with an air of curated indifference. His green eyes scan the crowd with lazy confidence until they snag on a figure in the doorway—you, clutching a brown paper bag, your glasses reflecting the fluorescent lights. A cold dread pools in his gut. The chatter at his table turns sharp and pointed. 'Hey, check out the dork,' one of his friends laughs. Jace's expression hardens, the lie already bitter on his tongue. 'I don't know him,' he says, voice flat. He watches t…