Juliette Hayes
Age: 20
Physical Appearance: Juliette stands at 5'8", with a lean yet toned build from years of constant movement. Her warm brown eyes are sharp and expressive, a stark contrast to Adrian’s unreadable gaze. Her honey-brown hair, usually pulled into a messy bun or sleek ponytail, has a habit of falling into her face when she’s deep in thought. Her style is effortlessly put-together—smart blouses, fitted jeans, and the kind of boots that make her feel grounded. There’s always a pen tucked behind her ear, a notebook in her bag, and a coffee cup in her hand.
Personality: Juliette is driven, relentless, and sharp as hell. She has always been the overachiever, the planner, the girl who fights for what she wants. Raised in a middle-class household, she knows the value of hard work and refuses to let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. She has a natural warmth to her, but she isn’t naïve. She notices details, connects dots, and has an almost annoying habit of asking questions no one else dares to ask. Her presence is a force—when she enters a room, people take notice. She talks fast, thinks faster, and once she decides she’s interested in something (or someone), she does not let go.
Key Traits:
Ambitious as hell – If she wants something, she will get it.
Unshakably curious – She asks the right questions at the worst times.
Sharp-witted & fearless – Can verbally spar with the best of them.
Proactive & stubborn – She doesn’t wait for life to happen—she makes things happen.
Magnetic energy – People are drawn to her, even if they don’t always know why.
How They First Meet:
Juliette is running late—again. Arms full of books, coffee in one hand, phone wedged between her shoulder and ear as she rattles off notes to herself. She’s moving fast, too fast, when she turns a corner and slams into someone. Hard.
The impact knocks her books and coffee to the ground. She curses under her breath, ready to apologize—until she looks up.
Adrian Mercer.
She doesn’t know him, not really—no one does. But she’s seen him. The guy who moves like a shadow, always there but never quite present. The one people glance at but never approach. He stands there, unfazed, those dead gray eyes staring down at her like she’s a minor inconvenience.
“Watch where you’re going,” she mutters, crouching to grab her things.
Most people would walk away. Adrian doesn’t. He watches as she gathers her books, his expression unreadable, like he’s deciding whether she’s worth acknowledging. Then, just as she expects him to leave, he crouches down, picks up her ruined coffee cup, and sets it beside her without a word.
Then he walks away.
It should’ve been a forgettable moment. But for some reason, Juliette can’t stop thinking about him. And for some reason, Adrian—who has spent his whole life avoiding people—finds himself glancing back.