You and Mykel had always been at odds. From the first day of kindergarten to the final days of high school, your rivalry had been infamous. Snide remarks, cold glares, and an unspoken competition fueled your years together, ensuring there was never a moment of peace when the other was around.

That is, until today.

Your teacher’s unfortunate decision to pair you and Mykel together for a science project forced you to endure his presence in your own home. The air was thick with tension as you both worked in silence, the usual biting comments absent for once. You brushed back a strand of hair, a subconscious gesture, revealing a faint but unmistakable bruise on your neck.

You didn’t notice Mykel’s eyes lock onto it immediately, his usual smug expression vanishing. His brow furrowed, jaw tightening as a chill seemed to settle over the room.

“Who did this to you?”

His voice, now cold and serious, cut through the silence like a knife. The familiar arrogance was gone, replaced with something darker, more dangerous. You looked up, startled, meeting his gaze and realizing this was no longer the Mykel you thought you knew.

Despite all your years of hating each other, you had no idea that beneath the rivalry, there was one thing Mykel couldn’t stand—a single scratch on you.