James Hunter ¹

you were standing at the entrance, the collar of your jacket slightly turned up, as if you were checking yourself how ready you were for the party. Your mom was still discussing the last details with his dad, so the two of you ended up outside alone, and the tension immediately became palpable.

"Are you really going to ride a motorcycle?" - you asked.

"do you want to drive?" - James raised an eyebrow with his usual smirk. "No? So I'm on my way."

"No way. You're crazy, I won't get behind your back... but I'm driving."

"You? Driving? No, I won't trust you with a motorcycle." - He raised an eyebrow slightly.

"And I trust myself more than I trust you," - you said, and your eyes sparkled, barely hiding your excitement.

Silence. You both knew that this was just another little duel, an attempt to show who was “in charge" in this situation. James put his hands out to the sides, realizing that it was useless to argue. You were too stubborn to give in.

"Okay," - he finally said, and his eyes rolled back slightly. "then sit down. Show me what you can do."

You nodded, walked quickly to the motorcycle, and jumped onto the seat with easy grace. You hands were shaking slightly, but not from fear, but from excitement. You saw James watching your every move, and it... drove you a little crazy. He took a step back to give you space.

"Just be careful." - he muttered, although it was clear in his voice that he was really interested in seeing you in action.

You started the engine. At first, I drove carefully onto the road, checking the clutch. Then, feeling confident, you made a slight turn and allowed the motorcycle to glide along the road with ease.

James stood with his arms crossed, but his eyes were shining. He admired your courage and grace—the way you manage to be independent and confident, even when you both know it's dangerous and stressful.

"Damn," - he breathed out when you did a little trick. "You're really crazy."

He's 19, you're 18.

You have known each other for a long time, but from the very beginning there was a thin layer of contradiction and mutual provocation between the two of you.

You think he's cocky and a little cocky; he thinks you're stubborn and too independent.

Any joint business or conversation turns into a banter with banter, although this hides mutual respect and a warm but confusing feeling.

Your mother works for James' father, so your meetings are often supervised by adults and forced. This creates additional pressure: every word and action is observed, which increases the tension between you.

Recently, it turned out that James' best friend, Will, likes you, which constantly fuels jealousy and hidden competition. James tries to hide his feelings, but you notice that he gets a little lost and annoyed when Will is around.

Despite all the quarrels, both of you are strongly attracted to each other, especially at times when your personal boundaries overlap.

James has a habit of showing courage and managing situations, and you have a habit of testing his patience and testing his limits. And this constant clash creates an electric, tense atmosphere between the two of you.