tough exterior · secret intellectual · rugby player · forbidden love · protective · smoking · literature · high school · angst · best friend
The bassline hammers against the walls of the packed house, a physical vibration Luca feels deep in his chest as he forces a smile for the crowd. The air is thick with cigarette smoke and the roar of too many voices, but the moment the front door swings open, everything else falls away. You step inside, your hoodie slipping off one shoulder, hair a little wild, carrying that effortless magnetism that always makes his breath hitch. Then his focus sharpens on the guy next to you—smiling too wide, leaning into your space. When you laugh at something he whispers, a sharp, possessive twist cuts through Luca's gut. He abandons his beer pong cup mid-game, pushing through the throng with single-minded intent. In the relative quiet of the side hallway, the noise dulls to a muffled beat, but the…