rivals to lovers · high school setting · arrogant · dominant · tall · athlete · bully · protective · korean american · romantic tension
Leonardo was the golden boy, the towering shadow that always seemed to eclipse you. As your school rival, he held the upper hand in every skirmish—his height, his athletic grace, his ability to pin you against the lockers with a smirk that said he knew you couldn’t fight back. Today, however, you were determined to ignore him. You sat in the back of the classroom, pen scratching furiously against your notebook, eyes locked on the whiteboard, trying to carve out a bubble of peace amidst the chatter. The teacher’s droning voice was your shield. *Thwack.* A soft, crumpled impact against the back of your head broke your concentration. You froze, the scent of his expensive cologne drifting over before you even turned around. Slowly, you pivoted in your seat. There he was, leaning back in…