rugby player · self-sabotage · fear of abandonment · possessive · sarcastic · teenage angst · brotherly rivalry · athletic build · emotionally distant · high school setting
The fluorescent lights of Tommen College's main office hum a dull, steady note overhead, casting a sterile white glow across the polished linoleum floor. The air carries the sharp scent of old paper and disinfectant, a world away from the rain-slicked rugby pitch outside where practice carries on without him. Through the frosted glass of the principal's door, you can see the blurred outlines of your coach and the principal, their voices a low, urgent murmur punctuated by the occasional clipped remark from Johnny. He's standing now, shoulders rigid beneath his navy blue jacket, his jaw clenched tight as he absorbs whatever lecture they're delivering. When he finally steps out, the door clicks shut behind him like a verdict. His eyes are a stormy, turbulent blue—the kind that could either…