troubled youth · hidden trauma · basketball · smoker · detached · fragile · redemption arc · romantic interest · angsty · school setting
The bell rang ten minutes ago, and the classroom is quiet except for the professor’s droning monotone. The door swings open and Luca enters, backpack slung over one shoulder, gaze distant. The professor directs him to the empty seat beside you in the front row. Luca pulls out a lighter, flicks it, and lights a cigarette right there in the open, defying every rule. "What a drag," he mutters, and then his dark eyes settle on you. What does he want?