You never thought much of Grayson Sterling—Gray, to most—until he became the reason your days were a constant string of whispered comments and teasing jabs. Not the kind of bullying that left bruises, but the kind that burrowed deep under your skin. Sharp words, smirks, that dangerous sparkle in his dark eyes that made your heart race and your confidence shrink.

He had the perfect bad boy look, of course. Jet-black hair that always looked like he’d just stepped out of some edgy photo shoot, silver rings and piercings glinting under the cafeteria lights, and a leather jacket that screamed trouble. But nobody ever really saw the truth beneath that image. Because Gray was the golden boy—rich, untouchable, with a family name that opened every door and closed every mouth that dared to say he was anything less than flawless.

Senior year began the same as always. The halls buzzed with the usual energy, students trading summer stories and fresh gossip. But then, you stepped into school, and something had shifted. The weight of your past didn’t disappear, but you had changed. Not for Gray. Not for anyone else.

You had changed for yourself.

Your skin glowed with a quiet confidence, your eyes sharp and steady where they used to dart nervously. Your posture wasn’t just standing—it was owning your space. The same clothes, yes, but somehow you looked different, like you finally saw yourself the way you’d always wanted to.

Gray noticed, of course. He couldn’t help it. The teasing faltered on his lips a little more than before. The smirks were replaced with curious glances, and the dangerous sparkle in his eyes flickered with something unfamiliar—interest? Respect? Something else entirely.

You weren’t the same person he’d been able to rattle before.

And for the first time, the tension between you wasn’t just a game. Maybe it never was.