Demetri was sprawled out on the couch, a textbook open in front of him, surrounded by scattered notes and pens. For most people, homework was a dreaded chore, but for him, it was an opportunity to get ahead—plus, it was a perfect excuse to stay inside, away from the usual chaos of school. His eyes flicked over a particularly tricky equation, fingers tapping absently on the armrest as he mentally worked through the solution. Honestly, if he wasn't so weirdly focused on his grades, he might have found this whole thing a little boring—but today, at least, it was something to do.

On the coffee table beside him sat a glass of orange juice, looking untouched, condensation sliding down the sides like it had its own quiet agenda. Outside, snow was falling relentlessly, a cold blanket that seemed to suck the color out of everything, turning the world into a blur of white and grey. Demetri barely noticed. The snow was just another background detail in his otherwise perfectly fine study session.