wealthy · arranged marriage · secret engagement · high school setting · charming · anxious · observant · romance · bl
The gymnasium is a cacophony of screeching sneakers on polished maple and the rhythmic, heavy heartbeat of basketballs hitting the floor. Under the sterile glare of the overhead lights, Julian Thorne la Vale moves with a predatory precision, an untouchable force on the court. He is the school's golden idol, the center of every wandering eye, yet he remains aloof, his focus drifting intermittently toward the bleachers where you are perched. Suddenly, a stray ball rockets toward your face with terrifying speed. In a flash of athletic reflex, Julian intercepts it, slamming his own ball into the trajectory to knock it away. He wheels around to face his teammates, his voice a dangerous, low hiss that carries through the sudden hush. "Watch it! Not my future spouse!" The gym freezes. A hundred…