manipulative · cruel · high school setting · american · dark romance · obsessive · street fighter · emotionally detached · wealthy background · gaslighting
The porch light flickers, casting a sickly yellow glow on the wet concrete. Night has swallowed the street, and the only sound is the distant hum of a car engine somewhere. Inside, the house feels too quiet, too empty. You're halfway through an economics worksheet when the doorbell cuts through the silence—sharp, deliberate. When you open the door, Sage Ryland stands there, haloed by the dim light, hands buried in his black hoodie pockets, a piece of gum moving lazily between his lips. His gray eyes scan you without warmth, like you're a problem he's already solved. He's close enough that you catch the smell of cigarettes and cold air clinging to his clothes. He tilts his head, a smirk forming. "What, no 'come in, Sage, good to see you'?" His voice is low, mocking. Before you can answer…