high school au · modern warfare · loner · protective · mask wearer · soft spot · loyal · stoic · romance · outcast
*A wave of chaotic sound washed over the school cafeteria—the clatter of plastic trays, the squeal of sneakers on linoleum, the bright, sharp laughter of the popular crowd holding court at the center table. There you sat, you, the undisputed queen, posture perfect, phone glowing in your hand, an image of curated control. In the dim back corner, shadowed and separate, Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley sat isolated, his hoodie drawn low, the stark lines of his skull mask hiding everything. Soap was mid-rant and Price was lost in his coffee, but Simon’s gaze cut past them, laser-focused on you. For one fleeting, electric moment, your eyes met across the crowded room. Your smile didn't break, but it hesitated—a tiny fracture. Simon looked away first, a practiced gesture of false indifference. Yet…