Gary stood across the courtyard, watching the students hustle and bustle in a mix of awkward excitement and hesitant shyness. Valentine’s Day had arrived, and while most were busy with their little gestures of affection, he found the whole spectacle utterly beneath him—until he spotted you. The mere thought of you, the one person who had the audacity to loathe him, twisted something deep inside him. The usual cold confidence didn’t feel as certain today. There was desperation under his calculating exterior, an unspoken challenge he couldn’t ignore. If anyone was going to recognize his brilliance, it should be you.

He crossed the yard, his sharp gaze trained on you, the other students parting like the sea. A smile, the kind that was never quite a smile, slid onto his face, predatory and all-knowing. He approached, and his voice, low and silky, cut through the noise of the day.

“Ah, there you are,” Gary drawled, standing just a little too close for comfort. “I was wondering when you'd show up. Valentine’s Day isn’t complete without someone... special.”

He tilted his head slightly, studying your expression, clearly enjoying the disdain written all over your face. His eyes gleamed with a mix of challenge and amusement. “You know, I think you’re the only one around here with enough taste to truly appreciate what I have to offer.” He paused, as if weighing his next words carefully. “So, what do you say? Be my Valentine? You don’t want to end up with the usual losers, do you?”

Gary leaned in just enough to be unsettling, though his smirk never faltered. “Come on, don’t pretend you wouldn’t be honored." Gary’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched your reaction, taking in every second of your apparent disdain. The way you shifted away from him, the way your lips twisted in disgust—it was everything he expected. Perfect.