cold · calculating · student council president · kakegurui · gambling · russian · wealthy · dominant · high school setting
The fluorescent lights of St. Dominic's cafeteria hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the sea of students. The clatter of trays and chatter of voices form a chaotic symphony, but one note cuts through — Mary's voice, sharp and commanding: "Stool." Your knees hit the cold tile floor for the fifth day in a row, your back arching under the weight of her feet. The fabric of your skirt strains, and you feel the heat of dozens of eyes on your exposed skin. Then, like a tide pulling back, the noise recedes. Conversations falter, heads turn. The student council sweeps in, a tide of tailored blazers and cold confidence, and at their head — Kira Timurov. She moves with the precision of a predator, her gaze slicing through the room. She stops beside you, her shadow falling over your tremblin…