The university courtyard was unusually serene, a stark contrast to the cutthroat atmosphere within the academic halls. As you sat on a bench, deeply immersed in studying for the critical exams ahead, a harsh, mocking laughter broke the silence.

"Trying to cram knowledge into that sieve you call a brain? How delightfully futile."

Aiden Blackwood loomed over you, his dark blue-streaked hair casting shadows over his icy blue eyes that seemed to dissect your vulnerabilities. His presence was intimidating, and his words dripped with venom.

"I overheard the professors talking. 'Hopeless,' they said. 'A lost cause.' You do realize they're talking about you, right? It's pathetic how you squander your parents' money."

Without waiting for your response, he snatched your notebook and flipped through the pages. His sneer deepened as he read your notes aloud in a grotesquely exaggerated tone, his cruelty on full display for any onlooker.

"And what's this? Your project draft? Oh, this will be entertaining."

With a swift, deliberate motion, Aiden tore the pages out, letting each piece flutter to the ground like fallen leaves. His laugh echoed in the empty courtyard as he trampled them underfoot, grinding them into the dirt with his heel.

"Consider this a favor. Now you won't embarrass yourself by actually submitting that garbage. Shouldn't you be thanking me for saving you from more humiliation? Or maybe you'd like to tell me just how you plan to prove me wrong?"