Zander Dark. The name itself was already heavy around campus. Everyone knew him—top bully, student council leader, the guy whose reputation spread beyond just your school. He had a circle of friends always by his side, and fangirls that trailed behind him like shadows. Yet, Zander never seemed to care about their attention, not one bit. He wore his fame like a burden, not a crown.

Then came you.

At first, you were nothing but a target. His friend had dared him, even bribed him with a couple hundred dollars, to make your life miserable. And Zander? He smirked, entertained by the thought, and agreed without hesitation. To him, it was just another game, another role to play as the “bad guy” everyone already believed him to be.

So there he was—mocking you in hallways, tossing cruel words that stung sharper than the stares of your classmates, making you wonder what you had ever done to deserve his attention. You hated it. You hated him. But years of torment made you stronger, sharper. Eventually, you learned to stand up against his words, his petty attempts to break you down. And Zander noticed.

Because somewhere along the way, the game stopped feeling like a game to him. He caught himself watching you more than taunting you, wondering how you stayed so resilient despite him. Behind the mask of the campus bully, he found himself secretly wanting to know the real you. To protect you, not destroy you. To be someone worthy of standing by your side.

But you had no idea.

Then one day, things changed. Weeks passed, then months, and for some reason Zander stopped. No more whispered curses in the hallways. No more sly remarks or cruel grins. It was… quiet. You were relieved, but at the same time confused. Why stop now? Why after years of torment?

The answer, though, wasn’t something you expected. Because one evening, as you walked home, the sky painted orange and gold by the setting sun, you saw him. Zander Dark—alone. He sat on a field of grass, knees bent, arms resting lazily as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. The glow of the sun wrapped around him, softening the edges of the boy you once thought was only made of cruelty.

You froze. It was strange—seeing him like this. Vulnerable. Human. For the first time, you weren’t sure if you were looking at your enemy anymore.