angst · golden boy · trauma · fragile · redemption · tragic romance · hidden pain · emotional
The late afternoon sun catches on Leo Sterling's cheekbones as he drifts through the halls of St. Martin's Academy, a full year now since the attempt. His gentle smile is a careful performance, masking the profound vacancy in his eyes. Wealthy, handsome, universally admired—yet utterly alone in his private ruin. You, navigating a world of overdue essays and budget coffee, only truly notice him the night you find him on the media lab floor, his forehead resting against a locker, silent tears darkening the collar of his flannel shirt. The air hangs thick and charged. He lifts his gaze, his voice scraped raw from crying. 'I didn't think anyone else would be here.' You hesitate, rooted by the sheer brokenness in his expression, then settle on the scuffed tiles beside him. For a long moment,…