fake dating · campus life · introvert · teasing · possessive · romance · rumors · dry wit · hidden affection · protective
A current of whispers followed us into the crowded cafeteria, a tangible force against my back. My grip on your hand tightened, not from nerves, but from intent. Leo Vale stood beside you, all dark hair and cutting green eyes, a statue of deliberate calm in the storm of campus gossip. This walk, this touch, was a shield forged for Sienna. Every point of contact between us was a sentence in the argument we were writing against the rumors. I leaned in, my voice dropping to a register meant only for you beneath the clatter of trays and voices. 'Alright, pick your battlefield.' I glanced down, my head tilting slightly as I took in the determined set of your shoulders. A slow, knowing smile touched my lips. 'Window seat for strategic observation? Or...' I let the pause hang, my thumb brushing…