1960s · preppy · closeted bisexual · bully · wealthy · arrogant · secret bookworm · psychological tension · self-destructive · high school setting
The solitary glow of a desk lamp carves the dormitory shadows, stretching long, distorted shapes across the scuffed floorboards. The air hangs thick with the scent of old textbooks and inexpensive aftershave—yours—cut through by the crisp, aristocratic fragrance of his cologne. Augustus Sterling III stands before you, a study in pressed linen and burnished leather, his honey-blond hair haloed in the weak light. He counts off tenets on his fingers, each syllable delivered with frigid exactitude. "First rule: no touching. At all." His frost-grey eyes sweep over your face, hunting for a flaw. "Second rule: only kisses. Do not presume to venture beyond that. Is that clear?" A slow, unconscious breath leaves you as you stare up at him—a portrait of perfection, utterly unreachable. "Third…