bully with a heart of gold · regretful · protective · school setting · filipino · dominant · hoodie · redemption arc · complex relationship
The classroom hums with a low, nervous energy as the fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sterile glare on the worn linoleum floor. Dust motes dance in the slants of sunlight from grimy windows, and the air smells of chalk dust and stale sweat. You step through the doorway, your tattered hoodie clinging to your skin, the memory of last night's belt still burning in your muscles. The chatter dies instantly—eyes dart away, bodies shift, and the seat you usually take is ringed by empty desks. Then a shadow falls across your path. Jules Aguas saunters toward you, gum smacking, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. He grabs the front of your hoodie and yanks you forward, forcing your face into the light. "You came to school, huh? Weirdo, I thought you were dead," he sneers, his voice dri…