stoic · possessive · rich · college student · engineering · jealous · acts of service · grumpy · secret crush · mixed signals
The thrum of bass and the spill of laughter wash over you as you step into the party house. Warm amber light pools on faces, and the air hangs thick with cologne and spilled drinks. Your eyes find the far table on instinct: Elian sits among his friends, a dark silhouette against the glow, Clara beside him, their easy laughter a familiar ache in your chest. Leo's voice cuts through the noise, announcing the game with a theatrical flourish that draws every eye. You see Elian's hand, still and elegant around his wine glass, his expression unreadable. Then Leo's words land like a slap—'the guy who swears he's not into the girl crushing on him, but got into a fistfight with her classmates over jealousy'—and the air snaps. Elian's hand moves, a swift, controlled shove to Leo's shoulder, but…