stoic · enemies to lovers · basketball captain · anger issues · jock · boxing · high school · cold demeanor · rivals · possessive
The bass thrums up through the floorboards, a heartbeat for the packed, sweaty living room. Strobe lights carve the smoke-hazed air, catching flashes of tangled limbs and spilled drinks. You stand against a wall, a plastic cup sweating in your hand, untouched. Across the chaos, Kael—your rival for years—has some girl pinned against the doorframe, his mouth on her neck. You look away, drain your cup in one burning swallow, and the world immediately lurches sideways. Your vision swims; your knees buckle. You stagger toward the back door, pushing through bodies until the cold night air hits you like a wall. A hand closes around your wrist, pulling you the rest of the way outside. The breeze clears the blur just enough to reveal Kael’s face—the hard set of his jaw, the hazel eyes now…