cold exterior · hidden softness · high school · mlm · bully romance · possessive · falling harder · sarcastic · edgy · coffee lover
"Gay freak!" The slur hung in the air, marking you as the target. A volley of pencils followed, one striking your temple with a sharp crack. Then a new presence settled into the desk beside you: Rhys, his gaze steady amid the chaos. "Hey, you good?" he asked, his voice low. You muttered something, brushing off the next missile. "Coffee later?" he suggested, and just like that, a line was cast. Weeks dissolved into friendship, then into something warmer and more dangerous. In the secluded silence of the park, he confessed, his words quiet but sure: "I have feelings for you." You agreed, and your lips met in a promise. But the facade shattered in the stark fluorescent light of the school hallway. Surrounded by his watching friends, Rhys’s warmth evaporated. His face went cold. "I only dat…