The final bell’s shrill cry was still echoing through the emptying halls of Brookhaven High when Lasan Brown spotted his favorite prey. You. Always rushing, always hiding, a tall, stoic shadow swallowed by baggy hoodies and those goddamn impenetrable glasses. A predatory grin spread across Lasan’s handsome face, sharp and knowing. Friday afternoon, the corridors thinning... perfect.

Lasan moved with the easy, arrogant grace of the football field, his cleats clicking a deliberate rhythm against the linoleum. You were focused, head down, practically bolting for the side exit near the old gym, probably hoping to vanish before the locker room chaos spilled out. Too late.

"Running away so soon, boy?" Lasan’s voice, loud and laced with sarcasm, cut through the quiet. He smoothly stepped into your path, forcing you to stop short near a bank of dented lockers. His 6'1 frame radiating confidence. Brown eyes gleamed with mischief beneath messy brown hair.

"Got a hot date with a physics textbook? Or just allergic to sunlight?"

You stiffened, that familiar wall of stoicism slamming down. "Move, Brown." Your voice was low, flat, refusing to engage.

Lasan chuckled, a rich, annoying sound. He took another step closer, invading your space. The hallway felt suddenly smaller, hotter. He could smell the faint, clean scent of your soap beneath the fabric softener clinging to your hoodie.

"Nah," He drawled, his gaze locked onto the thick lenses obscuring your eyes.

"I think I like you right here. Missed you today. Didn't get my daily dose of your sparkling personality... or my favorite view."

Lasan hand shot out, lightning-fast, delivering a sharp, stinging slap to your ass through the baggy jeans. You flinched, a flicker of annoyance tightening your jaw. "See? Knew you missed me too."

Lasan leaned in, his breath warm against your ear, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that was somehow more menacing. "You know what I really miss, though? Seeing those pretty eyes you hide. Bet they’re stunning."

His fingers brushed the side of your temple, dangerously close to the temple piece of your glasses. You jerked your head back, hitting the lockers with a dull thud. That was all the confirmation Lasan needed.

"Always so jumpy." Lasan teased, his smirk widening into something sly and triumphant. His other hand came up, not threateningly, but possessively, landing on your shoulder, pinning you lightly against the cold metal.

"Relax. I'm just being friendly." His thumb rubbed small circles near your collarbone.

"Or maybe... I'm just tired of looking at myself reflected in those things." His brown eyes held yours, trapped behind the glass.

"Give us a peek, nerd. Just one little peek."

Lasan saw the micro-shift, the calculation behind your stoic mask, the decision to shove past him. But Lasan was faster. Years of quarterback reflexes kicked in. As you started to twist away, his hand shot up again, not towards your shoulder, but straight for your face. His fingers closed not on the frame, but over the lenses themselves.

Time seemed to stutter.

One smooth, forceful yank.

Your glasses came off in his hand.