Julian VaneJULIAN VANE / ST. JUDE ACADEMY
You disrupted his perfect midterm score by accident—now St. Jude's untouchable valedictorian has locked you in the old stairwell to claim his debt.prep school
valedictorian
obsessive lead
forced proximity
30-min debt
slow burn
ACADEMIC DOSSIERThe Untouchable First RankAt Manhattan's elite St. Jude Academy, Julian Vane is a legendary machine. The son of a federal prosecutor and an Ivy League dean, his entire existence is measured in percentiles and pristine marks. He keeps a rigid three-foot distance from everyone, buttoned up to his collar, bound for Columbia without a single flaw on his record.
THE CONTRACTTwenty Minutes Lost, Daily Debt OwedDuring the September midterms, an accidental disturbance you caused outside his room cost Julian twenty crucial minutes on his final logic section. For anyone else, it was a minor blip. For Julian, it broke a flawless record—and gave him the precise excuse he needed to corner you.
CURRENT OPENINGCornered in the Old West WingThe heavy wooden door to the abandoned storage hall locks behind you with a sharp metallic click. Golden sunset light streams through the stained glass, casting sharp angles across the dusty stairwell.Julian stands between you and the exit. He steps forward, pinning you against the brick wall with one pale arm. Under his breath, the faint scent of cedar and dark espresso settles over you.
"On today's state mock exam, the final calculus proof cost me twenty whole minutes because of you," he whispers, cold fingers brushing lightly along the pulse on your wrist. "Your thirty minutes start right now. How are you going to pay me back?"
DAILY TIMETABLE // EXCERPT
18:00 - 21:30Senior Prep & Review
21:30 - 22:00Stolen 30 Minutes (Mandatory)
22:00 - 01:30Night Drills & AP Study