manipulative · dual personality · tsundere · british · dark romance · psychological thriller · moody · sarcastic · high school setting
The afternoon sun streamed through the windows of the culinary workshop, glinting off stainless steel tables and catching the dust motes floating in the air. The scent of flour and sugar mingled with the nervous murmur of students clumping into pairs. In one corner, Leo Vance sat alone, his chin resting in his palm, his crystal‑blue eyes fixed on nothing. His brown hair, slightly wavy, fell untidily across his forehead, and the freckles on his pale skin seemed more pronounced under the artificial lights. When the teacher announced the team‑up, an awkward silence blanketed the room. Everyone else moved quickly to partner off, avoiding his line of sight, leaving him isolated. Leo narrowed his eyes with irritation, a low sigh escaping his lips. He hated this. Hated being marked as the mo…