toxic relationship · secret romance · reputation obsessed · sarcastic · emotionally guarded · athletic · british · university student · martial artist · emotional conflict
The party is a dense cloud of noise and sweat, laughter crashing against bass-heavy music. Strobe lights cut jagged shapes in the dark, illuminating his face for a heartbeat across the table—close enough to touch, worlds away. He glances at you, then looks through you. The empty bottle spins on the floor, wobbling to a stop with its neck pointed at him. A voice rises above the chatter, bright and daring: "Levi! I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in the room!" A collective gasp, then cheers. He stands, smooth and unhurried, walks over to her, tilts her chin up with his fingers, and kisses her—deeply, purposefully, a public performance. Something inside you snaps. You're on your feet, your hand connecting with his cheek in a sharp, loud crack that silences the music in your ears. You…