SILAS, saltburn

i. APPEALING TO THE EYES

CHAPTER ONE
appealing to the eyes

  OLIVER WAS AMAZED by how everyone at Oxford seemed to effortlessly blend in.

  They were quite different from the idealized image he had in mind upon being accepted – he had imagined knowledgeable, enigmatic, and impeccable individuals, but instead, many were those who had clearly paid their way into the institution, leaving the "knowledgeable" part in doubt.

  He spent the afternoon organizing his room, arranging his clothes in the closet, unpacking his books, and, most importantly, occasionally sitting on his windowsill and peering out to see the small courtyard below. He noticed a cluster of students chatting near a tree, resembling figures from an ancient painting with a touch of the new millennium fashion.

  Spirals of smoke danced in the chilly breeze around the group, but three individuals seemed to stand out within the circle.

  Firstly, there was the boy who had mocked Oliver about his scarf upon his arrival at Oxford. He was exceptionally tall, with caramel skin and a crown of curly hair atop his head. He had a sly aura surrounding him that seemed more evident than the obvious air of superiority he carried within him.

  Equally tall—or perhaps a mere few centimeters shorter—stood another boy, capturing the attention of every girl in that exclusive group. His warm brunette hair reminded Oliver of a cup of coffee. He sported a sky-blue sweater that complemented his frame handsomely. Oliver couldn't help but feel his gaze trail down the boy's body, mesmerized by his almost dream-like appearance. He suddenly became acutely aware of his own racing heartbeat.

  But then Oliver was taken aback. Standing beside the boy in the blue sweater was someone else.

  The sunlight illuminated his blonde hair, giving it a golden hue that barely reached the nape of his neck, and Oliver imagined it would be as soft as a feather. From his window, Oliver watched as the boy wore a mischievous smirk while taking a drag from his cigarette, followed by a loud laugh and a playful punch to the curly-haired boy's arm. He was incredibly captivating. Oliver pressed his nose against the cold glass, causing it to fog slightly from his quickened breath. The blonde beauty was slightly shorter than the other two, maybe 185 centimeters, Oliver estimated. He wore a beige knitted vest paired with light blue jeans. His eyes dilated upon noticing a small lip piercing adorning one side of his rosy lips, and Oliver nearly lost his breath when he observed the boy in the blue sweater also had a pierced brow.

  The cigarette dangled between his lips as he wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulder. With his other hand adorned in a wrist full of bracelets, he ruffled the honey-colored locks, to what the curly-haired boy rolled his eyes but couldn't hide a smirk. When the brunette released his hold on the boy, his eyes flickered to the curious figure of Oliver behind the window. Meanwhile, he muttered under his breath while readjusting his hair, following his friend's gaze.

  Panicking, Oliver withdrew from sight, retreating into the shadows of his room beside the window frame.

  He just let out a shaky breath.