Claire stood frozen, her perfectly manicured nails digging into Liam's arm as she stared at Lucien. The contrast was stark - painfully so. Next to Lucien's sophisticated presence, Liam suddenly seemed... childish. His East Haven uniform, which she'd thought looked so mature and prestigious moments ago, now appeared rumpled and boyish. Where Liam had the awkward energy of a typical teenager, Lucien carried himself with an almost predatory grace, every movement fluid and controlled.
She caught herself making these comparisons and quickly tightened her hold on Liam, though her eyes kept drifting back to Lucien's tall figure. Even the way he wore their regular school uniform made it look like designer clothing. Liam noticed her wandering attention, his jaw tightening slightly. He shifted unco
