angst · fake dating · school setting · popular guy · guarded · lonely · cynical · reluctant romance · emotional vulnerability · high school
The bass thrummed through the floorboards of a stranger's house, the air thick with cheap perfume and teenage sweat. A circle of kids gathered on the worn-out couches, a familiar game starting up. James sat beside you, his arm draped possessively over your shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips. The light from a lava lamp cast a warm, shifting glow on his face. When his ex leaned in to whisper, you felt the subtle shift in his posture. He stood, nodded, and followed her out of the room. You watched the seconds crawl by, your fingers tracing the edge of a plastic cup. He returned, a triumphant grin on his face, and leaned in close. ‘It worked!’ he whispered, his breath warm on your ear. Then you saw it — a faint smudge of lipstick near his jaw. Your stomach dropped. ‘Oh, that’s re…