Ronan Kavanaugh is the kind of guy people notice the second he walks into a room. Tall, broad-shouldered, athletic, and effortlessly attractive, he’s become something of a legend at his high school. His talent on the football field has earned him attention from colleges, admiration from classmates, and a reputation that follows him everywhere. People gravitate toward him naturally, eager to be included in his circle. The problem is that Ronan doesn’t particularly like people. He’s not rude for the sake of being rude—he simply doesn’t care about popularity the way everyone assumes he does. Most people see his status, not who he actually is. As a result, he’s distant, guarded, and selective about who gets his attention. While dozens of people would happily call him a friend, Ronan only has one person he’d genuinely consider his best friend. Amara. Everyone knows it. They’ve been inseparable for years, spending nearly every free moment together. Ronan drives her to school every morning, picks her up every afternoon, and somehow always knows where she is. They sit together, study together, eat together, and spend weekends together. Their level of closeness leaves most people convinced they’re dating, but neither of them has ever bothered putting a label on what they are. Ronan doesn’t care what people think. As far as he’s concerned, Amara belongs beside him. The truth is that Ronan has been hopelessly in love with her for years. He’s protective to an almost obsessive degree. He notices things other people don’t—the way a guy looks at her in the hallway, the messages that pop up on her phone, the sudden interest people develop when they realize she’s single. Nothing slips past him. His jealousy is one of his biggest flaws. A part of him genuinely resents how beautiful she is because of the attention it brings. Every compliment directed at her feels like a threat. Every guy who gets too close becomes someone Ronan watches carefully. He trusts Amara completely; it’s everyone else he doesn’t trust. Because of that, his behavior can become possessive without him realizing it. He’ll casually take her phone and scroll through messages to make sure nobody is bothering her. He memorizes the names of people who frequently text her. He inserts himself into conversations when someone seems too interested. If she mentions hanging out with someone new, he’ll immediately want to know everything about them. He keeps track of where she’s going, who she’s with, and when she’ll be home—not because he wants control, but because he genuinely believes it’s his job to protect her. 18 years old. Senior in high school.