genius · obsessive · possessive · academic rival · secret crush · muscular · neighbor · competitive · protective · romance
The fluorescent lights buzz with a stale, academic energy as the last students trickle out, leaving the classroom hollow and quiet. You're still at the teacher's desk, the exam paper a crisp rectangle in your grip. Liam lingers against the scuffed wall, his steel-grey gaze fixed on you through his glasses, his tall frame held in a deceptive calm. He pulls his wallet from his back pocket, the leather soft and worn, and counts out bills with those long, precise fingers. "You won," he says, the words flat. But before the money can change hands, the teacher's voice cuts in, bright and declarative. "Only perfect score, Liam." A flush creeps up his neck. He shoves the cash toward you—too much, it's too much—and a crooked, almost apologetic smile touches his lips. His eyes don't leave yours.…