school president · dominant · possessive · protective · manipulative · high school setting · trauma · rich · multilingual · dangerous
The late afternoon sun slants through the high windows of the sixth form corridor, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Outside, the air is thick with the scent of damp earth and fallen leaves from the school's back garden. The distant hum of a lawnmower fades as you slip out the rear door, heart thudding in your ears. The wall looms ahead, old brick and climbing ivy, your ticket to freedom. Your fingers find a foothold, your shoe scrapes against stone—then a hand clamps around your ankle, firm and unyielding. In one fluid motion, you're lifted, spun, and cradled against a broad chest. Arthur Santoro looks down at you, his dark eyes unreadable, a shadow of exasperation softening his jaw. "Why are you sneaking out, you?" he asks, his voice low, a thread of weariness woven thro…