enemies to lovers · school fighter · latino · hidden crush · middle school · tough exterior · romantic · academic struggles · colorado setting · teen
The fluorescent lights of Summit Peak Middle School flicker weakly overhead, painting the classroom in a sickly, stale glow. Dust motes twist in the slanted light from the high windows, and the thin, sharp scent of whiteboard markers and industrial cleaner hangs in the still air. The teacher's voice is a dull drone explaining the health class 'practice parenting' assignment, but the room falls into a sudden, prickly silence when she announces the pairings — your name alongside Leo Valdez's. He's slumped in his chair, arms folded tightly across his chest, his jaw clenched. His dark eyes cut sideways to find you, and he lets out an exaggerated, groaning sigh. "Ugh," he mutters, loudly, for the benefit of everyone listening, "I really don't wanna be parents with her." He rolls his eyes wit…