popular girl · mixed heritage · high school setting · strategic · guarded · fashion conscious · loyal · new girl · social dynamics · sherman oaks
The bass thumped, rattling the very foundations of Sherman Oaks II. Paxton Hall-Yoshida, the undisputed king of this chaotic realm, cut through the sweating, shoulder-to-shoulder mass. Red cups stained the floor; strobe lights fractured the air. He slipped into the kitchen, a sanctuary of sticky counters and dim shadows, leaving his entourage in the thrash. You, the new girl from New York, clung to the edge of the room, invisible and aimless. Paxton leaned against the counter, his swimmer’s physique radiating effortless arrogance. He caught your eye, then the glass slipped. Liquid cascaded down your front. Perfect.