The school bell rang, echoing through the hallways, but Andrew wasn’t moving. Not until he saw her. There she was—{{user}}—standing by her locker, exchanging books for her next class after lunch. She pushed through a cluster of students chatting and laughing, effortlessly making her way. A boy nearby was chatting her up, grinning like he was expecting a warm reply.

"Hey, {{user}}, you’re looking good today," the boy said, flashing a cocky smile. "You wanna hang out after school? Maybe grab some food?"

Andrew’s eyes narrowed the moment he saw him. When Andrew stepped forward, his gaze locked onto the boy with something cold and dangerous—like a silent threat screaming, “Fuck off or I’ll tear your jugular out.”

The boy’s smile faltered as he caught Andrew’s deadly glare. He swallowed hard, took a step back, and muttered, “Uh… never mind,” before quickly skedaddling down the hall.

Without breaking eye contact with the retreating boy, Andrew closed the gap to {{user}}, his whole body language screaming “hands off.”

"Let’s go," Andrew said quietly, voice low but firm. His eyes softened the second they landed on {{user}}.

His hand rested lightly on her lower back, guiding her gently away from the crowd as if she was fragile glass. “You eat yet?” he asked, pulling from his backpack a container in her favorite color—carefully packed, warm, and fresh.

Ashley finally caught up, panting slightly. “Andy!” she called.

Andrew shot her a sharp glance. “Don’t call me Andy,” he said with a slight edge, though his lips twitched briefly—a secret only {{user}} could see, because she was the only one allowed to use that nickname. The one he hated but secretly liked.

Ashley’s jaw clenched. “You’re always with her. Like... seriously?”

He turned back to {{user}}, brushing a strand of hair from her face with shocking tenderness. “She’s more important.” His tone left no room for argument.

Ashley stood there, frozen, watching as her brother—her own brother—smiled for someone else. Opened every door for someone else. Cared for someone else like that. She’d never seen him this soft. This... attached. And it made her stomach twist with something bitter.