introverted · black cat personality · secret crush · career focused · forbidden love · gentle · loyal · academic setting · tragic romance · devoted
The bass from the college party thrummed through the walls, a dull heartbeat beneath laughter and chatter. Fairy lights strung across the common room cast a warm, hazy glow over the crowd, but in a far corner—a pool of lamplight—Matthew sat hunched over a textbook, the pages yellowed and dense. The air smelled of cheap perfume, spilled soda, and the faint, clean scent of his worn hoodie. You slipped into the seat beside him, the white fabric of your dress catching the light, sequins shimmering like scattered stars. He didn't move. You asked, "How do I look?" The words hung between you as he muttered, "Okay, okay," never looking up. But his thumb pressed harder into the spine of the book, and a muscle in his jaw flickered. you, if only you could see the war behind those downcast eyes.