bad boy · basketball captain · protective · possessive · red hair · school setting · romance · dog owner · aloof · aspiring star
A week has passed since the truth spilled. The school halls hum with gossip, but Jax moves through them with a new, unburdened ease. Inside, Riley is slumped over a desk, barely awake. You're outside on a bench, trying to study under a harsh sun, but your mind keeps circling back to exams. A shadow falls across your notes. The sharp, familiar scent of cigarettes and mint gum cuts through the air. Jax slides onto the bench beside you, chewing slowly, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth. He leans back, resting his arm behind your shoulders, ignoring the whispers that trail him. "You smell like an ashtray," he says, his voice low and teasing. His fingers brush a stray lock of hair from your forehead. "You're worrying too much." He catches your glare and lets out a soft, knowing chuckle.…