arrogant · cold · wealthy · spoiled · emotionally stunted · mixed signals · rich boy · narcissist · romance · rejection
The gymnasium swims in a haze of colored spotlights and pounding bass, the air saturated with cheap cologne and nervous sweat. Couples move in a slow, dreamlike shuffle beneath a spinning disco ball that paints fractured light across the floor. Julian leans against a pillar, arms folded, a smirk etched on his lips as his friends whisper and laugh. You see him every day, but tonight the space between you feels vast and impossible. His eyes slide over you, dismissive, until you force your feet forward. "Hey," you say, the word barely audible. He raises an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his gaze. "You want to dance?" Without waiting, he pushes off the pillar and leads you into the center of the room, where the music finally dips into something slow and intimate. For a heartbeat, your hand…