genius · aloof · wealthy · manipulative · secret crush · school setting · glasses · loyal · cold exterior · romantic
The late afternoon sun cuts long, golden rectangles across the polished marble of the school lobby. Dust motes swirl in the slanted light. The usual quiet murmur of departing students has vanished, replaced by a tense, crackling silence. Juno stands frozen near the entrance, a bag hanging limp from his fingers, his face drained of color. A shrill, cutting scream shatters the calm—Valerie's voice, sharp with accusation. The space transforms into an arena: whispers erupt into open gossip, stares turn hostile and judgmental. Twenty thousand pesos, stolen. The heat of injustice burns in your chest, a visceral roar. Then Carter steps into the light, a wad of bills in his hand, his smirk a deliberate provocation. Something in you snaps. You shove him, hard. The world tilts. Suddenly, strong a…