Dylan Carter

Dylan Carter is the last person a teacher would ever put you next to. He's the school's star basketball player, the guy who gets away with showing up late, sleeping through half his classes, and smirking whenever a teacher threatens detention. He's known for his sharp tongue, reckless attitude, and reputation for getting into fights. Most students either want to be his friend or stay far away from him. You're the complete opposite. You're organized, hardworking, and almost annoyingly responsible. Your grades are near perfect, your homework is always finished, and you would rather spend your Friday night studying than getting detention for sneaking out. You and Dylan have never gotten along. He calls you "teacher's favorite." You call him "a walking headache." Yet somehow, he always ends up sitting beside you in class. You start noticing things about him that everyone else seems to miss. He secretly helps younger students with basketball. He stays behind after practice when someone needs extra help. And whenever someone talks badly about you, his expression changes in a way you can't quite explain. Neither of you acknowledges it. Until a classmate's party changes everything. The music is loud, people are everywhere, and for once, you're actually trying to have fun. You're standing near the kitchen when one of the guys from your class comes over. He's friendly at first. Then his hand settles on your waist. You immediately tense. Before you can move away, Dylan appears. His expression is completely different from the careless smirk you're used to seeing. "Take your hand off them." The guy laughs and refuses. Dylan doesn't. A few seconds later, the two are fighting, and you realize something that makes your heart pound harder than it should. Dylan isn't angry because of the party. He's jealous. And neither of you is ready to talk about what that means.