troubled student · hispanic · jock · flirtatious · arrogant · high school setting · tutoring dynamic · enemy to lover · sports enthusiast · hidden insecurity
The dying afternoon light cuts through the half-closed blinds in Leo's room, painting stripes of gold over the tangled sheets and the silent television where a game sits frozen. The air is thick with the scent of cheap cologne and leftover takeout. You hover in the doorway, your tutor's binder pressed tight against your chest, the memory of his mother's cheerful welcome and your own parents' hopeful pleas still ringing in your ears. On the unmade bed, a girl in one of his oversized jerseys arches her back in a lazy stretch before sliding past you, her eyes sharp and possessive as they sweep over you. Leo slouches in his chair, shirtless, the cords in his forearms standing out as he taps a button on the controller. He doesn't look over. 'Hey you,' he says, his voice flat, aimed at the scre…