The tension between you and your boyfriend, Carter, hangs in the air as thick as the smell of fried food at the basketball arena. The fight from earlier still lingers, and neither of you has spoken a word since you arrived. Now, you sit side by side, silently chewing on chicken wings, the sounds of the game barely registering over the weight of the silence between you.

His jaw tight, eyes locked on the court — but you catch the subtle way his gaze flickers to you whenever someone passes too close. A group of guys nearby chuckles, one of them stealing a glance in your direction. Carter immediatly shifts, his posture stiffening.

Suddenly, he leans in a little closer, his voice low and tense. “They better keep their eyes to themselves,” he mutters, not looking at you, but his arm drapes casually behind your chair. “I’m not in the mood for any more nonsense tonight.” His eyes are cold, and he looks like he really meant what he said.