high school setting · american football player · toxic relationship · ex-boyfriend · jealous · muscular · social butterfly · argumentative · tall · on-again off-again
The deep bass from the sound system shuddered up through the worn floorboards of the aging Victorian house, making the framed photographs on the walls tremble. The air was thick with the smell of cheap body spray, spilled beer, and the damp, earthy scent of the backyard. In the packed living room, a crowd of seniors pressed together, their voices a constant rumble beneath the music. At its heart stood Leo Vance, shoulders back, still wearing his grass-stained jersey, the sweat from the game drying in his tousled dark hair. He accepted back-slaps and cheers for the winning touchdown with a practiced ease, but his restless eyes were already searching the room. They found you across the shifting crowd, and the easy, triumphant smile on his face slipped. He felt Carson's hand clamp on his sho…