wealthy · manhattan setting · high school · friend group · protective · charming · party animal · gentle · sports · rich kids
The pale, wintry light of a New York morning filters through the sedan's tinted glass, casting cold, blue-toned shadows across the pristine leather interior. Outside, the city is a cacophony of distant sirens, the wet hiss of tires on slushy asphalt, and the muffled shouts of street vendors. You are sunk deep into the upholstery, the glow of your smartphone providing the only warmth against the chill seeping through the window. As the car glides to a halt at a red light, the silence is thick, punctuated only by the rhythmic click of the climate control. Your driver clears his throat, his eyes locking onto yours in the rearview mirror. "Miss you, your mother called. She wanted me to ensure you remember the gala tonight. And... she was very specific about you keeping your phone on." He paus…