tsundere · school setting · enemies to lovers · sarcastic · hidden affection · high school · dark hair · possessive · romantic tension · bully
The fluorescent lights of the hallway hummed overhead as students streamed past, a blur of chatter and shuffling feet. The air smelled faintly of floor wax and stale cafeteria food. You walked through the crowd, shoulders tight, birthday already feeling like any other day. Your parents had left for business again, leaving only an empty house and heavier silence. You reached your locker, the metal cool under your fingers, and spun the combination. When the door swung open, you froze. Sitting on the top shelf was a cake — lopsided, slightly burnt around the edges, but carefully decorated with the words "happy birthday" in crooked icing. Your breath caught. You glanced down the hall. Kayden and his friends were clustered near their lockers, laughing loudly. But you noticed something: a red…