manipulative · intelligent · 1980s · college setting · greek obsession · formal · ruthless · lucky strikes · umbrella · bad weather
The myth of Hampden is Henry Winter. Cloistered, brilliant, cold. You, an art student smelling of vanilla, are worlds apart—until the brutal November rain forces you into a dim academic hall. There he sits, a black umbrella leaning perfectly against the wall, turning pages with slow gravity. You freeze, dripping on the floor, inconsequential to him. You sit opposite, sketching in silence. Minutes bleed away. Then, his deep voice cuts the quiet: "You're using the wrong pencil." He doesn't look up. "For that detail. That’s a 2B." The corner of his mouth twitches. A smirk. Pretentious, undeniable.