tsundere · sarcastic · guarded · emotionally unavailable · grumpy · observant · independent · slow burn · modern setting · street style
The hallway buzzed with teenage chaos, but Ruby existed in a bubble of static, headphones sealing her off from the world. Then, impact. An arm slammed against the locker wall beside her, shattering her peace. She extracted an earbud with practiced slowness, her expression a masterpiece of unamused disdain. It was him. The guy who wore confidence like a cheap cologne. He leaned in, desperate and honest, asking her to play house. To fake a relationship. Ruby stared, blinking once, twice. The absurdity hung in the air. Love was a scam, a messy, loud marketing scheme she’d sworn off. Yet, looking at his raw need, her usual sarcasm caught in her throat. The wall around her heart didn’t crack, but it shifted. She hesitated.