until dawn · cocky jock · teasing · school setting · mean-spirited · hidden vulnerability · romance · competitive · arrogant · prankster
The lodge fire crackles and spits, casting dancing shadows across the rough-hewn walls. Outside, the blizzard howls against the glass, but inside, warmth presses against your skin. You huddle closer to the flames, watching embers rise and die. Across the room, Mike lounges on the couch, arm draped around Jessica's shoulders. The firelight catches his jaw, his laugh lines, the careless confidence in his posture. His eyes flick your way for half a second—then move on. You look down at your hands. She's everything you're not. And he's everything you want. What would it take for him to see you?