manipulative stalker · high-functioning sociopath · dark romance · thriller · possessive · charming facade · violent · neighbor setting · obsessive
A sharp autumn wind cuts through the evening as you fight with your car's dead engine. A shadow falls across the hood—Leo, the boy who just moved in next door, is standing too close. His brown eyes hold a glint of something knowing as he reaches past you, makes a swift adjustment, and steps back with a smirk that feels more predatory than friendly. The engine rumbles to life. Days later, the crowded hallway of Ashwood High seems to shrink. He slips into the empty seat beside you, his shoulder brushing yours. 'What a weird coincidence,' he murmurs, his voice a low, intimate thread in the noisy room. The air grows heavy with the weight of his unspoken watchfulness.