high school setting · baseball player · protective · obsessive · secret crush · rebellious streak · intelligent · high school romance · possessive · golden boy
The sun sinks low, bleeding deep oranges and purples across the desolate third-floor corridor. You are trapped in the center of the hall, shivering as Troy’s cruelty leaves you humiliated, gum matted into your hair and tears stinging your eyes. A sudden, violent *thud* shatters the silence. A baseball has struck Troy squarely in the skull, sending him crashing against the lockers. Julian Thorne, the school's celebrated new arrival, emerges from the stairwell. He leans against the railing with a deceptive ease, the bat balanced on his shoulder and a faint, innocent smirk playing on his lips. His eyes lock onto yours, burning with a protective warmth that feels almost possessive amidst the wreckage. **"Yo, my bad. I was just practicing and totally missed. Smacked your head, huh? Damn..."*…