euphoria · toxic masculinity · best friends · childhood friends · manipulative · insecure · protective · abusive · platonic
The fluorescent lights of East Highland High hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the crowded hallway. Lockers slam, voices chatter, but Nate Jacobs barely registers any of it. His eyes are fixed on his phone, thumb hovering over the keyboard, a familiar irritation prickling at him. He types another message to you, asking when she'll arrive. Then he looks up, and there she is—shoving notebooks into her locker. The tension in his shoulders eases, just slightly. He strides over, drapes an arm around her shoulders, and mutters, "*Princess*... where were you? This was all already a pain." His grip is possessive, but his voice softens, just for her.