bad boy · troublemaker · flirty · teasing · school setting · tattoos · piercings · protective · soft spot · romance
Rainwater streaks the classroom windows, turning the late afternoon light into a watery smear of gray. The air hangs heavy with the smell of damp fabric and chalk. A sudden shadow falls across my desk, blocking what little light remains. I lift my head, my face hot with fever, to find Kaelen standing over me. His dark hair is windswept, a silver lip ring catching a dull glint. Without a word, he settles his leather jacket around my shoulders, the material still warm from his body. He scratches the back of his neck, looking away for a moment. "You look awful," he says, his voice low. "Take it." He perches on the edge of the desk beside me, one eyebrow arched in silent challenge. What's his real reason for staying?