Craving The Badboy

Danilo’s PovI barely heard a word coming out of my teacher’s mouth. My thoughts were still stuck on one thing—or rather, one person.Had Carter Hayes really looked at me in the hallway?It was stupid, I knew. Maybe Carter had been looking past me, maybe he was sizing up Antonia, maybe he wasn’t even paying attention. But there was a flicker in his expression, something almost teasing in the way his lips curved before he turned away. And I couldn’t get it out of my head.I hadn’t even realized I was smiling faintly until Mr. Flanagan’s voice cut through the fog.“Mr. Ramos.”I blinked. The classroom had gone still. All eyes turned toward me.“Care to join us, or are you planning to daydream your way into Harvard or is it Yale?” Mr. Flanagan stood with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed.I straightened in my seat. “Sorry, sir. I—uh—got a little distracted.”Flanagan didn’t smile. Instead, he stepped away from the whiteboard and picked up a thin stack of papers from his desk. He flippe

Danilo’s Pov I stood just offstage, heart hammering against my ribs like it was trying to escape. The auditorium smelled faintly of dust and old velvet curtains, the kind of scent that clung to school theatre spaces like a ghost of performances past. The stage lights beamed down hot and unforgiving, making my palms slick with sweat as I clutched the crumpled sheet music in his hand.I’d almost backed out—twice.But here I was, standing in the wings of the school auditorium, waiting for my name to be called."Danilo Ramos," came the voice from the centre of the auditorium. Mrs. Harrison, the choir director and musical coordinator, looked up from behind her clipboard, smiling like she didn’t expect much. Oh, I am about to shock her. A few students were scattered throughout the empty seats, waiting for their own auditions or watching with thinly veiled boredom.I stepped out into the light.The moment I took centre stage, the murmur in the audience shifted slightly. I spotted Julian Da

“Back off,” Carter said. “Now.” The two muggers hesitated, then muttered something I couldn’t quite comprehend and bolted, their footsteps retreating fast into the darkness. I slumped against the wall, trembling. Carter stepped closer, eyeing me. “You good?” I nodded quickly, but my voice cracked. “Y-Yeah. I… they just came out of nowhere.” Carter’s eyes flicked down, checking him over without being obvious. “They didn’t hurt you?” “No. Just… scared the crap out of me.” “Yeah. You’re shaking.” I looked up, meeting Carter’s gaze. For a moment, we just stood there in the quiet street, the sound of crickets and distant cars the only soundtrack. The adrenaline in my veins was slowly ebbing, replaced by a deep, overwhelming sense of humiliation. Of all the people to see me like this. Carter reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a granola bar. “Here.” I blinked. “What?” “You look like you’re gonna pass out. Sugar helps.” Does he always have that in his pocket? I shoved

Danilo’s Pov I arrived at school the next morning and immediately spotted Antonia outside, deep in what looked like a heated conversation with her on-and-off boyfriend, Lloyd, in front of his car. I didn’t have to be close to guess what the fight was about, probably another one of his wandering eyes getting him into trouble. That was their usual issue. Lloyd couldn’t seem to help himself. His hormones were getting the best of him. Not wanting to get dragged into whatever drama was unfolding, I gave them a half-hearted wave, even though I knew neither of them noticed, and made my way inside the building. The second I stepped into the hallway, the memory of yesterday came rushing back. My stomach twisted. Chase had been waiting for me after school, ready to beat the shit out of me. He hadn’t gotten the chance, but that didn’t mean today would be the same. Today, I might not be so lucky. The thought of Chase slamming me into my locker and pounding me with his fists made my skin craw

Danilo’s Pov The mayor's ballroom gleamed with chandeliers like frozen waterfalls, casting golden reflections on the polished floor. Classical music swelled from a live quartet tucked near the fountain of champagne, and every corner of the space glittered with sequins, silk, and status. My bowtie felt too tight.My father adjusted his cufflinks as we walked in, his eyes scanning the room like he was measuring its worth in favors and potential deals. He wore power like a second skin. I, on the other hand, wore a black Armani suit my mother bought me not long before she died and. It was one of the many reminders of her that I hold dear, especially now that I find memories of her slipping away from me. The pain of her absence has dissipated with each passing day, and I don't know how to feel about it. I took myself out of those thoughts as my glasses kept slipping down the bridge of my nose, and I had to fight the urge to push them up every five seconds.I gave in to the urge and pushe