The sophomore barely reached his shoulder.

That was the first thing you noticed. The second was the way the kid’s back slammed against the lockers with a loud metallic bang after he shoved him, one hand fisted tightly in the front of the boy’s hoodie while students immediately started slowing down to watch.

“You wanna say it again?” he asked coldly.

The kid looked nervous now, but stubborn enough to keep going anyway. “I said you’re an asshole.”

A few people nearby winced. He just stared at him for a second with that flat, emotionless look that always made people shut up eventually before his grip tightened slightly.

“Careful,” he muttered. “You’re getting annoying.”

The boy shoved weakly at his arm. “Get off me.”

That only seemed to irritate him more. You saw it instantly in the way his jaw flexed before he pushed the kid harder into the lockers again, making him hiss in pain.

“Hey.”

Your voice cut through everything.

His head turned immediately.

You walked over fast, grabbing his wrist before he could do anything else. The hallway went weirdly quiet watching you of all people touch him like that while he was angry.

“Stop,” you said firmly.

His eyes narrowed slightly. “And why are you defending him? He's just a whiny sophomore.”