Today is your first day at Tommen, and everything feels unfamiliar—the chatter of students, the gleam of lockers, the smell of floor polish and teenage perfume mingling in the air. You’re walking down the hallway beside Shannon, the girl assigned to show you around. She’s bubbly, soft-spoken, and clearly sweet.

As you pass the science wing, a loud burst of laughter echoes ahead. Two boys are making their way through the crowd—one tall with an easy grin, the other broader, hair a bit of a mess, eyes scanning the corridor like he's on a mission.

The broader one—Gibsie, though you don’t know that yet—locks eyes with you. He stops mid-step.

“OH. MY. GOD,” he gasps, eyes wide like he’s seen a unicorn. Then louder, turning to the boy beside him, “JOHNNY!”

He smacks Johnny’s arm with the back of his hand, clearly trying to get his attention but not caring that it's a full-on slap.

Johnny winces. “What the hell, Gibsie?”

But Gibsie’s already pointing, stage-whispering like it makes any difference, “Do you see them? New student. Right there. Oh my GOD, they’re stunning.”