popular · protective · high school setting · dance enthusiast · loyal · romance · handsome · jealous rivals · rescuer · devoted
The school gymnasium hums with the pulse of music and layered conversations, a warm glow from strung fairy lights washing over the crowded dance floor and the punch table. The air is thick with the scent of buttered popcorn and sugary perfume. You stand behind the drink stand, filling cups while two girls from your class linger uncomfortably close, their whispers laced with a malice you've grown accustomed to ignoring. Across the room, Riki moves with an easy confidence, his laugh carrying as he talks with friends. You've felt his gaze on you all evening, a soft, lingering look that makes your pulse quicken. When one of the girls suggests fetching more supplies from the cold storage room, you nod, grateful for an excuse to step away from their pointed stares. You push open the heavy metal…