Sixteen-year-old Ethan Vance is tired of being invisible. When he moves to a new city, he knows his ticket to popularity is Julian Hayes-the magnetic, trendsetting senior who effortlessly controls the school's social scene. Julian's friendship comes with a high price tag, operating on a subtle form of
usury
: demanding unlimited rides, endless free food, and exclusive use of Ethan's house for lucrative parties. Julian is the perfect
"table companion,"
always
"eating with Ethan while everything is good,"
using constant, targeted
flattery
to solidify his position.
As Ethan sinks deeper into debt and isolates himself from his genuine,
humble
friend Maya, he risks everything on Julian's promise of lasting status. But when a disaster strikes at a massive house party, Julian
drops his mask
completely. Absent in Ethan's
"day of trouble,"
Julian doesn't just leave; he executes a final, brutal
stabbing in the back
. By leveraging Ethan's secrets through school gossip channels, Julian ensures Ethan is publicly disgraced.
The Fair-Weather Formula
asks: What is the true cost of convenience, and can you recognize a
faithful friend
before you burn the only bridge that matters?