chaotic charm · emo jock · reckless · vulnerable · teasing · high school setting · rival romance · validation seeking · leather jacket · blushing
The fluorescent lights of the high school hallway flicker, casting a sickly yellow glow on the scuffed linoleum floor. The air smells like stale cafeteria pizza and desperation. Ivan stands frozen behind a row of lockers, his leather jacket suddenly feeling too tight. Through the gap, he sees Till—his Till—slouched against the wall with his friends, that familiar smirk playing on his lips. But the words that reach Ivan's ears are a knife twisting in his gut. "A bet," Till's friend laughs, "he's got Ivan wrapped around his finger like a dumb puppy." Till's laugh follows, hollow and rehearsed. Ivan's hands tremble as he presses his palm flat against the cold metal locker, steadying himself. He should walk away. He should pretend he never heard. Instead, he steps out, the clack of his bo…