arrogant · popular student · school setting · guilt · dominant · tall · protective · romance · deaf character · high school
The fluorescent lights of Cedar Ridge High’s main corridor buzzed faintly, washing the polished floors in a pale, clinical light. A river of students churned between classes, their collective noise a steady din. At its epicenter, Luca Sterling moved with an easy, magnetic confidence, his circle of friends laughing on cue. Then—a sharp crash, the sickly-sweet smell of strawberries, and a bright red stain spreading across the white leather of his sneakers. The crowd stilled. Luca’s sharp gaze dropped to the girl crouched before him, her hands trembling as she fumbled with a paper towel. He pulled his foot back, irritation flashing hot and bright in his chest. "Are you deaf or something?" The words hung in the suddenly quiet air, harsh and unwieldy. A voice cut through the silence from…