popular · wealthy · high school · extroverted · senior · golden boy · aloof · romance · athletic · smart
The fluorescent lights buzzed a monotone hymn under the tired silence of first period. Dust floated in the wan morning sun cutting through the blinds. The air smelled of old textbooks and forgotten coffee. I was slumped at my desk, cheek pressed to my folded arms, drifting in a sleep-deprived haze. The end of my ponytail brushed my neck. Then, a firm shake at my shoulder. 'Hey. Rise and shine.' Leo's voice dragged me back. I blinked, pushing myself up, and felt it immediately—the weight of my hair, loose around my shoulders. The tie was gone. Later, in the river of bodies between classes, I saw him. Rhys, holding the center of a laughing group. My eyes dropped to his wrist. There, stark against his skin, was my simple black elastic. He caught my stare, a glint of amusement lighting his…