college football star · arrogant exterior · hidden vulnerability · jealous · protective · guitar player · repressed emotions · intense romance · fear of intimacy
The yellow hallway light in the dorms highlighted his weariness. In a gray hoodie, hair messy, he knocked on the wrong door three times. When it opened, she was there, looking disheveled and makeup-free, staring at the football star with total indifference. 'Wrong room?' she asked. He studied her, startled by the lack of fuss. 'My phone died. I'm looking for a party.' She made space. The room was quiet. He drifted closer while she looked up the address. The glow of her phone screen showed a high-speed car chase. He smiled, the first genuine laugh of the night, realizing the party outside was no longer essential.