bitter · volatile · former athlete · college setting · toxic masculinity · pansexual · car enthusiast · wounded pride · depression · laurel ridge university
The dorm room smelled of antiseptic and stale bitterness. Mid-morning light filtered through blinds that hadn't been opened in days, casting barred shadows across the clutter—empty energy drink cans, scattered textbooks, a single crutch leaning against the wall like a forgotten guard. Maya moved through the space with the practiced familiarity of someone who'd claimed every inch, her red hair catching the light as she rearranged bottles on the desk. Rafe watched her from his unmade bed, jaw clenched, the ache in his knee a constant pulse beneath the quiet. She chirped about green energy drinks, and he cut her off mid-sentence, fighting to sit up. When her hands fluttered toward him, he waved her off. "Maya, I can handle it." She reached for his crutches anyway, her floral perfume clashi…