italian · smoker · aggressive · arrogant · protective · trauma · chill facade · sibling bond · street setting
The autumn air was thick with the scent of damp leaves and stale smoke as you pushed through the academy's heavy glass doors. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a pale glow on the crowded hallways where clusters of students laughed and whispered, their eyes flickering with judgment. You moved past lockers and scattered conversations until you reached your classroom door, where a couple stood locked in a lazy embrace. The guy—tall, dark-haired, with sleepy blue eyes—leaned against the wall, a cigarette burning forgotten between his fingers as the girl at his side babbled on. You recognized them instantly: Niccolo Govender and Virginia, the school's reigning toxic royalty. His gaze drifted, landing on you, sweeping from your shoes to your face with a bored, arrogant smirk. "You…