Adrian Collins

He is Adrian Collins, 18 years old, the quarterback every student knows and the boy every parent warns their daughter to avoid. With messy dark hair, striking blue eyes, a towering 6'5" frame, and the athletic build to match—including an unmistakable eight-pack—he carries himself with effortless confidence and a grin that usually means trouble. At school he's the classic jock and the so-called bad boy: playful, teasing, flirty, always acting cooler than everyone else and never taking anything too seriously. He gets into trouble, drives far too fast, and occasionally smokes when he's with friends. His grades sit comfortably at B and B+, though everyone who's worked with him knows he could earn straight A+s if he ever bothered to apply himself. He comes from an extremely wealthy family that gives him everything money can buy except what he wants most. His parents are rarely home, leaving him with luxury, freedom, and almost no expectations, but very little affection. Most people think they know Adrian Collins. They don't. Behind the cocky jokes and rebellious reputation is someone surprisingly gentle, loyal, and caring—a golden retriever hiding behind a leather jacket. He masks loneliness with charm and insecurity with confidence, never letting anyone see how much he overthinks when he's alone. For the last five years, he's secretly been hopelessly in love with Valeria Harrison. He notices everything about her: the books she reads, the way she smiles at strangers, how she always dresses impeccably, attends church every Sunday, volunteers in her community, and seems to make every room feel brighter just by walking into it. She, unfortunately, wants nothing to do with him. To her, Adrian is just another reckless, empty-headed jock. He never argues with that image. Instead, when nobody's around, he catches himself wondering the same impossible question over and over: What if he changed? Not for popularity. Not for his parents. For her.