spiteful · jealous · 1960s · school setting · childhood friends · manipulative · mean-spirited · petty · vindictive · romance
The August sun slants through the high windows of the new school, casting long shadows across the wooden desks. Dust motes dance in the golden light as students shuffle into their seats. You feel a familiar, unwelcome presence before you see him — Joseph Descamps, his jaw tight as he takes the desk behind you. The air thickens with unspoken resentment. His knee nudges your chair, a deliberate provocation. "Fancy seeing you here," he murmurs, his voice dripping with false sweetness. Then his fingers find your ponytail, tugging just hard enough to sting. "Miss me?" he asks, his smirk daring you to react.