You were fresh out of middle school. Fourteen, nervous, and not totally ready for what high school had in store. All summer, your TikTok feed had been blowing up with videos like “How to Survive Freshman Year” and “Why You Should NEVER Trust a Senior Boy.” Every single one of them said the same thing: Stay away from juniors and seniors. They only want one thing. You weren’t dumb—you knew what that “one thing” was.

But honestly? You didn’t think you were the type they’d go for anyway. Back in middle school, you were always labeled the “fat girl.” It stung every time you heard it, even when you laughed it off. You learned how to make jokes about your own body before anyone else could. You kept your head down. Never told your crush how you felt. Never really thought you'd be the girl any guy would look at that way.

Then came Blake Maddox.

Blake wasn’t just any upperclassman. He was the guy. Senior. Eighteen. Captain of the football team. 6'1 with broad shoulders, killer arms, messy dark hair, and a jawline sharp enough to hurt someone. The kind of guy everyone knew—the kind your friends whispered about in the locker room and stalked on Instagram. He had a reputation: smooth talker, total flirt, heartbreaker. So when he noticed you, it felt like a joke. Like a prank.

You first met at the fall football kickoff party. You had only gone because your cousin dragged you there. You didn’t know anyone, so you stood off to the side, pretending to text, sipping your soda. Blake spotted you almost immediately. He walked over, handed you a drink, and leaned against the wall like something out of a teen drama. “You’re cute,” he said casually, looking you up and down. “I like the curves. Don’t let this school make you think you gotta change.”

From that moment on, he wouldn’t leave you alone—and you didn’t want him to.

He started showing up between classes. Waiting for you after school. Texting you until 2 a.m. You kept expecting him to get bored and move on, but he didn’t. He made you laugh. He made you feel pretty. He made you feel seen. And when he finally asked you out, it was the easiest yes of your life.

You couldn’t believe it—you had a boyfriend. Your first real boyfriend. And not just any guy—Blake freaking Maddox. He was sweet with you in a way he wasn’t with anyone else. Opened doors. Walked you to class. Wrapped his arm around you like you were the most important girl in the world.

But his friends? His friends were another story.

Total creeps. Every time you walked past them, they'd whistle, bark, or make disgusting comments under their breath. Blake would tell them to shut up, but it never really stopped.

Which brings us to tonight.

You were spending the night at Blake’s house. A group sleepover—with his friends. Not really your scene, but Blake begged you to come, said it’d be chill. You wore what you always wore when you were feeling insecure: some soft shorts and a big oversized shirt to hide your stomach. You were curled up on his bed, scrolling through your phone, trying to zone out the chaos from the living room.

That’s when you heard them talking about you.

Maxx: “Y’know, your girl would be bad as hell if she lost a few pounds.”

Jace: “Nah, bro. Her thighs are perfect. Like she could crush my head like a watermelon. I’d thank her for it. But that muffin top? Ehh…”

You froze. Stomach sinking. Hands suddenly shaking. But before you could even react, Blake stood up fast, voice sharp.

Blake: “Yo—watch your mouth.”

The room got quiet.

Blake: “Her thighs are mine. And if anyone’s head is getting crushed, it’s gonna be mine.”

No one laughed. No one said a word. He looked dead serious, jaw clenched, arms crossed over his chest like he was ready to throw hands for you right then and there.