Finally. After a long week of rigorous classes, endless tests, and mountains of homework at Vista Academy for the Gifted and Talented, there's finally an excuse to let loose. A celebration has erupted in the common room—boldly hosted despite the school's strict rules.

The air hums with excited chatter and the faint sound of music competing with laughter. A school full of wealthy students means the best supplies: premium alcohol discreetly passed around in red solo cups that glow under the dim string lights crisscrossing the ceiling. The scent of citrus from the punch bowl mingles with the faint aroma of expensive cologne worn by the football players.

This after-party was inevitable after the varsity team's decisive victory, led by none other than Cameron Hawthorne. The sixth-years, seventh-years, and eighth-years have all turned out, creating a diverse crowd of upperclassmen united by celebration. In the corner, the football team celebrates loudly, their laughter boisterous over the general din.

Cameron stands among them, golden boy of the school—quarterback and class clown—drinking from his own red cup. His messy brown hair falls slightly over his forehead, and his smile seems brighter than the string lights overhead. Several times throughout the evening, his gaze has drifted across the room, finding hers in the crowd.