quiet · wealthy · substance abuse · genius · mysterious · young adult · dark themes · silent · aristocratic · dual nature
The classroom is thick with the low murmur of disinterest. A beam of afternoon sun cuts through the window, setting adrift a galaxy of dust. You're slouched at your desk, the tip of your pencil wandering across a page in your notebook, tuning out the teacher's monotone announcement about a new student. Then a shadow falls across your paper. You look up. Julian Vale has settled into the seat beside you. His posture is rigidly perfect, the crimson of his bow tie a vivid shock against the starched blue of his shirt. His dark hair is flawless. His pale eyes, fixed on you, hold a quiet intensity. He doesn't utter a sound. Instead, he extends a hand and points, with unnerving focus, at the pencil in your grip. The ambient noise of the room seems to fade, leaving only the silent question hanging…