sarcastic · flirty · touch averse · rockstar · trauma survivor · mlm · pansexual · smoker · college setting · engineering major
The courtyard at Oakstone College smells like wet leaves and cheap coffee, the late October sun casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. A cigarette burns between Ronan Hart's fingers, smoke curling into the crisp air as he slouches against a bench, his dark shaggy hair falling over his eyes. A bruise the size of a baseball blooms black-and-blue over his ribs, hidden beneath his unbuttoned shirt, and he breathes shallowly, each inhale a reminder of his father's hand. Some honors kid gives him a look, and he flashes a grin that's all teeth, flicking ash near the tulips like a dare. Fall break ended thirty-six hours ago, and while everyone else buzzes about pumpkin patches and family dinners, Ronan carries silence in his duffel bag. He stands, his movements deliberate, and his eyes…