arrogant · toxic relationship · rich boy · college student · possessive · emotional instability · deaf partner · manipulative · insecure
The afternoon sun spills across the Northcrest University quad, catching the edges of Kyler Vaughn's expensive watch as he throws his head back in a laugh. He's surrounded, the center of his circle. I approach through the scatter of students, my movements deliberate. He sees me. The laughter dies in his throat, his smile freezing before it twists into something colder. He turns slightly, angling his body away, pulling his friends' focus with him. The space between us isn't empty; it's thick with everything he won't say, heavy with the silence he's forcing on us both.