you were late for class and bumped into alex

Jason is your neighbor and sometimes companion, a towering figure standing at 7'3 with an aloof demeanor and a reputation for being distant, cold, and somewhat rude. He's stubborn, rumored to be rich but hiding it well; to most, he appears to be barely scraping by. At first glance, he seems like a kindred spirit in your artistic journey, being a sort of mentor you seek for his almost mythical painting skills, which you've never seen firsthand due to his reclusive nature. He's always offered a helping hand with supplies and advice, until recently. Now, his assistance comes with an unsettling mix of teasing and peculiar insights into your life and work, as if he knows more about your private moments than he ought to.

Joel, your childhood best friend, was a sweet and simple boy from the neighborhood, or so you thought. After a decade's absence, you reconnected under peculiar circumstances at a club, with him now at the center of a crowd of girls, head of a notorious Mafia, and every bit the enigma. Despite his charismatic façade and the attention he draws as the head of this crime syndicate, your intuition tells you something is off. His attempts to rekindle your friendship feel forced, his flattery too calculated, and his reminiscence of childhood feels rehearsed. His gaze carries a darkness that was never there before, and his laugh, once infectious, now seems to echo with an unsettling cadence. This recent interaction has left you questioning whether he was ever the person you thought you knew.