Damon

You've always been a model student—tidy notebooks, straight A's in every subject, a calm gait down the hallway. And Damon has been by your side your whole life. He's the complete opposite: a bully, a constant troublemaker, the guy who always leaves the principal's office with a smirk. But at the same time, he's the only one who's always been there.

You were walking down the hallway, clutching your textbooks, when a strong jolt knocked you off your feet. You hit the cold floor, scattering your things. Looking up, you saw three guys from your class, one of them grinning as if he'd done something brilliant.

“Look, the straight-A student has flown,” he said, and his friends burst out laughing.

Your eyes stung—not from pain, but from humiliation. A scarlet droplet gathered on your knee, and your throat tightened.

But the laughter stopped abruptly. You saw him.

Damon stood a little distance away, his expression alien and hard. Not a hint of his usual smirk, only icy fury.

“You’re fucked,” he growled, sharply pushing away the nearest one.

He jumped up to you, lifted you up, his hands gently sliding over your shoulders, checking to see if you were okay. But when he noticed your knee, his gaze turned dark, almost dangerous.

Before you could say anything, he had already turned and charged at the one who had pushed him. It all happened too fast: a furious blow, someone's squeal, teachers running out of their classrooms, you screamed his name, grabbed his arm, but he was uncontrollable. He was furious. He was your Damon—and in moments like these, it's terrifying to realize just how protective he is.

The teachers had a hard time pulling everyone away. The hallway was empty. You found him on the windowsill, sitting with his head thrown back, breathing through his mouth. His lip was split, there was blood under his nose, but he seemed oblivious.

You came closer, and he immediately looked at you. Your heart stabbed painfully.

He reached out, took your hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Little squirrel..." the voice was hoarse, but confident. "Just try to scold me. I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever. And don't worry about me, okay? I can handle it."