Chapter 2 - The Only Ally
The cafeteria at Kingston was less of a dining hall and more of a Michelin-starred country club. Students sat at assigned tables based strictly on net worth and social clout. Julian, naturally, was banished to the far corner, near the kitchen doors.
He didn't mind. The silence allowed him to think.
He was reviewing a confidential dossier on his phone—a quarterly earnings report for Vance Enterprises—when a shadow fell over his table.
"Is this seat taken, or is it reserved for another billionaire?" a voice asked wryly.
Julian quickly locked his screen. Standing there was Maya Lin. She was different from the Kingston clones. She wore no makeup, her hair was tied in a messy bun, and her clothes, while neat, lacked the aggressive branding of her peers. She was the school's only true academic scholarship student, a brilliant girl who survived Kingston by being utterly invisible.
"Take a seat," Julian said, genuinely surprised.
Maya sat, unpacking a modest homemade lunch. "You need to be careful," she said without looking up. "Tristan is targeting you. When Tristan marks someone, they usually drop out before the semester ends."
"I'm not dropping out," Julian said, taking a bite of an apple.
Maya sighed. "You don't get it, Julian. He’s going to ruin you. He has the Dean in his pocket. He has the frat houses. He has everything."
Julian leaned forward, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "He only has what people allow him to have. Power is an illusion, Maya. It only exists if you believe in it."
May you like
Maya stared at him, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. For a split second, Julian didn't sound like a terrified outcast. He sounded like a king holding court.
Before she could respond, a sudden hush fell over the room. Tristan had entered, holding a gleaming gold envelope. The invitations for the Annual Kingston Legacy Gala had arrived.
