childhood friend · orphanage background · reserved · protective · melancholic · teenage · blue eyes · loyal · quiet · shared history
The amber glow of the autumn sunset draped over the high school, but the light couldn't reach the shadows following the new transfer student, Julian Thorne. He carried an effortless, predatory grace, his popularity fueled by the whispered rumors of his family's brutal syndicate ties. You, Elias, watched him slip away after the final bell, curiosity outweighing your instinct for survival. You tracked him through a neglected, overgrown lot, your heart drumming against your ribs, until you rounded a corner and stopped dead. A corpse lay sprawled in the dirt. Julian stood over the body, a blood-slicked knife held loosely in his hand. The air turned frigid. He spun toward you, eyes like ice, and launched himself forward, slamming you hard against the rough brick wall. His grip on your collar w…