cold · aloof · dominant · accent · wealthy background · private school · sharp-tongued · intimidating · elite status · casual cruelty
The morning sun slices through the crisp February air, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns of the private school. 8:20 A.M. on a Wednesday, and the courtyard hums with the murmured conversations of students in their black-and-red uniforms. The scent of fresh coffee and polished wood drifts from the open doors. You step through the gates, a newcomer in this world of privilege, your parents' wave fading behind you. Inside, the hallways are a river of bodies—students rushing to clubs, breakfast, or the library. You weave through, disoriented, until a sudden collision sends you sprawling. Books scatter. The noise dies. All eyes lock onto you and the figure you've just knocked over: Sasha. He lies on the floor for a heartbeat, then rises with a fluid, terrifying grace. His pale,…