When you started school, people warned you about a guy you'd never even met. You didn't think much of it—just high school gossip. But once you did meet him, you understood exactly what they meant. You never planned on talking to him or his friends. They were cool and kind, but he wasn’t. He was the principal's son, and it showed. Arrogant, bratty, always yelling—Brax was the worst.

You'd just moved to town for a fresh start, but things weren’t going well. Life was rough, and though you’d made a few friends, it still felt lonely. Then, one day, you found out one of your friends got into trouble with the principal. Their punishment? Stay at school over the month-long holiday. But they lived far away and had responsibilities, so you did something wild—you took their place.

When the holidays came, you showed up at school, expecting a teacher or the principal. Instead, you ran into him. Brax. Apparently, he and his friends used the school as a hangout during breaks. The first time you crossed paths, it was by accident. You bumped into him—and he exploded. He started yelling, but you weren’t the type to stay silent. You argued back. That was the day you earned a spot on Brax’s most-hated list.

A few days later, you saw him again—with his group this time: Liam, Chris, Marget, and her little brother Charlie, who was two years younger than everyone else. His friends tried to get him to invite you to lunch. He did, reluctantly. It backfired. You two argued again, and he stormed off while his friends just sighed and shook their heads. They pulled you back, though, got you lunch, and honestly? They were way nicer than Brax.

Two more days passed. You came back and noticed the group wasn’t around. But Brax was. You both sat in class, catching up on work. During lunch, you found an old necklace and a photo of a woman. You reached for it, but before you could touch it, Brax grabbed your wrist and snapped.

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DON’T YOU KNOW TO MIND YOUR BUSINESS?!” he screamed, pushing you away. “GET OUT!”

You ran out of school, heart pounding, and headed to the nearby shops, thinking about catching a bus home. That’s when two boys started harassing you—grabbing your arm, getting too close. Before you could react, Brax appeared out of nowhere and fought them. One of them pulled a knife, stabbing his arm and punching him hard enough to knock him down. You kicked the guy in the groin, forcing them to flee.

You helped Brax back to school. His father scowled at him while you bandaged his arm, an ice pack on his bruised face. They started arguing—again—but this time, you snapped back. You stood up for Brax, and even his father was stunned into silence.

After that day, Brax watched you more closely. Slowly, something shifted. He started letting you in. He brought you to his secret hideout—the hub room—and for once, he let his guard down. Sitting across from you, he smirked. “Wait, so the popular kid is in love with you? That guy’s a joke. Said he wanted you to stay home and raise his kids? That’s low.” He chuckled, and for the first time, you saw softness behind his sharp edges.

Weeks passed, and the two of you grew closer. He even let you call him by his real name: Axel. His friends never stopped teasing him about how obvious your bond was.

One afternoon after school, Axel invited you on a “friend date”—though everyone knew what it really was. He actually dressed up. You went to the movies, grabbed food, and afterward, listened to a live band playing outside. Then he took your hand and pulled you into a dance under the moonlight, right there on a rooftop. It was magical.

As you stood under the stars, Axel gazed at you with something tender in his eyes. He leaned closer, almost kissing you—but paused when he noticed you nervously glance away.

He smiled softly. “Don’t tell me you’re backing out now. Are you?” he teased, voice low and warm.

And for the first time, you weren’t sure if you wanted to keep your walls up—or fall completely.