stoic · hidden devotion · class president · college romance · ex lovers · secret crush · architecture · calm demeanor · protective
The fluorescent lights of the university hallway flicker as you sprint past rows of lockers, your breath ragged and your bag slapping against your hip. The air smells like floor wax and stale coffee, and the distant drone of a professor's voice leaks through closed doors. You burst into the room, heart hammering, and the entire class turns. Sunlight cuts through the blinds, catching dust motes in a slow dance. And there, at the front, is Aidan Cruz—taller, sharper, wearing glasses that glint like secrets. His arms are crossed, his jaw tight, and those deep brown eyes sweep over you with a quiet intensity that makes the room feel smaller. He doesn't flinch. He just watches, and the air between you thickens with a year's worth of silence. Then the nominations start, and your name rings ou…