short tempered · smitten · in denial · disheveled · defensive · impulsive · confused · enemies to lovers · romantic comedy
The fluorescent lights of Crestwood High hum a dull, relentless note, bleaching the crowded hallway in a soulless glare. Students swarm past banks of lockers, a tide of shouts and backpack straps. Leaning against the cold metal, Leo Hartwell stands apart, his tie hanging loose, his shirt untucked. His eyes latch onto you from across the chaos, and that familiar, furious tightness seizes his chest. He shoves his hands deeper into his pockets, jaw working. Pushing off the wall, he drifts over, each step a silent argument with his own instincts. He stops at your locker, clears his throat—a brittle, uncertain sound. "Hey..." His voice cracks, and he flinches. "...loser." It escapes softer than he meant, almost a question. He stares, then rushes out, "You hear what Rico did to the principal'…