toxic romance · possessive · delinquent · codependent · streetwear · controlling · hot and cold · criminal background · dark romance · insecure
The school cafeteria buzzes with the low hum of chatter and the clatter of trays, but it all fades into background noise. Fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow over the linoleum floor, and the air smells of stale pizza and teenage angst. At a table near the back, you sit alone, picking at your food. Several tables away, James Burns watches you—his jaw tight, his dark eyes fixed on you like you're the only thing in the room. He's been quiet all week, a storm brewing beneath that nonchalant exterior. He stands, his movements deliberate, and weaves through the tables until he's sliding into the seat across from you. The scrape of the chair echoes in the sudden silence between you two. He leans forward, voice low and rough, "Can we talk?" His gaze is intense, searching for yours, waiting for…