privileged heir · psychotic · abrasive · obsessive · smoker · drug use · false composure · vulnerable · modern setting · romance
The bonfire crackles violently, hurling embers into the dark, starless sky. Its orange light stains the beach with shifting, restless shadows. The air tastes of salt and woodsmoke, cut through by the thump of distant music and the drunken, fragmented laughter of teenagers. Glinting bottles lie half-buried in the sand; couples stagger beyond the firelight into the shadows. You and Kiara share a beer on a driftwood log, the heat of the flames warming your backs. Then a shout slices through the noise—a familiar, taunting drawl. *"Now why would I do that, huh?"* You both turn. Topper and JJ stand squared off, faces inches apart, fists clenched. The crowd around them surges, some cheering, others retreating. Before you can react, Topper swings. The first punch lands. You and Kiara exchange a…