bad boy · heartbreaker · exes by chance · leather jacket · charming · avoidant attachment · dark romance · cynical · modern setting · emotional baggage
The bass from the speakers thuds through the floorboards of Claire's house, rattling the cheap frames on the walls. September's heat clings to the air, thick with sweat and cheap perfume. In the hallway, a single bulb flickers over the stairs, casting long shadows across the worn carpet. Johnny Kavanagh steps out of the bathroom, his hands still dripping, water darkening the denim of his black jeans. He freezes when he sees you slumped against the wall, head in your hands. For a second, the noise of the party fades. His jaw tightens. “Oh.. uh hey,” he says, voice rough, wiping his palms on his thighs. His eyes scan you — the empty hallway, the bruise of vodka on your breath. “What are you doing here? I mean, it’s not exactly your town, so…” He waits, guarded, but there’s s…