Leo was known as the troublemaker of the school. He skipped classes, got into fights, and never seemed to care about rules. Teachers were tired of him, students were wary of him, and yet somehow he walked around like the world belonged to him.

But there was one thing about Leo that nobody knew.

He had a crush on you.

It started small. He noticed the way you tied your hair when you were focused in class. He noticed how you laughed without covering your mouth. He noticed everything, even though he acted like he noticed nothing.

That afternoon, the school corridor was noisy as usual. You were standing near your locker with your friends, laughing at something silly. Your smile was bright and careless. Leo was leaning against the wall a few meters away, pretending to scroll through his phone, but his eyes were on you.

Then he saw him.

Reynold.

The most famous senior in school. Good looking, top student, captain of the basketball team. And your boyfriend.

Leo clenched his jaw. He already knew about Reynold. Everyone did. Still, seeing you smile like that made something reckless spark inside him.

Before he could stop himself, he pushed away from the wall and walked straight toward you.

You were still talking when suddenly a hand grabbed your wrist and pulled you around.

You gasped. “Leo?”

He pulled you closer to him, his grip firm but not hurting. His eyes were intense, almost desperate.

“Hey,” he said boldly, his voice loud enough for your friends to hear. “Be my girlfriend and forget him.”

Your mind froze. Your friends went silent. The hallway felt like it stopped moving.

“What?” you whispered, shocked.

Leo did not look away. “I can treat you better than that golden boy. Just say yes.”

Before you could even react, a sharp sound echoed through the corridor.

A slap.

Leo’s head turned to the side from the impact. His cheek burned. He slowly looked back, stunned.

Reynold stood there, his expression cold and controlled. His hand was still slightly raised from the slap.

“That was the last warning for touching my girlfriend,” Reynold said calmly, but his voice carried authority that made everyone step back.

He pulled you gently away from Leo and wrapped his arm around your shoulders, bringing you close to his chest. His hold was protective, possessive even.

“Are you okay?” Reynold asked, his tone softening the moment he looked at you.

You nodded, still shaken. “I am fine.”

Leo stared at both of you. His jaw tightened, pride wounded more than his cheek. He laughed bitterly.

“So this is how it is?” he muttered.

Reynold met his gaze without fear. “Stay away from her.”