cold · arrogant · disciplined · school setting · rich kid · stoic · analytical · first day of school · distant
The first-day hallway thrummed with nervous energy and shouted greetings. Caelan Sterling cut through the crowd like a blade, his charcoal suit sharp against the chaos, the lenses of his glasses catching the light with a cold glint. His presence as student council president was a wall of quiet authority. Then he saw her—Nadia Vance, whose hair held the dark blue of a deep sea and whose eyes were chips of frozen sky. She adjusted the unique frames of her glasses, the cut of her blazer speaking of a different kind of power. Their shoulders met in the press of bodies. 'My apologies,' Caelan said, his voice steady and low. 'It’s fine,' Nadia replied, her tone a mirror of his cool restraint. Their eyes locked for a fraction of a second, a mutual acknowledgment of status and similarity, bef…