He Didn't Need Anyone's Pity

The food was not enough to make up for this. Julian munched on an hors d'ouevre boredly while standing near his father. As much disdain as he may feel for the man, it was safer here than anywhere near the people his age. 

Any moment now, he would be called upon to dazzle his father's associates with his mental prowess and he wasn't looking forward to it. All he wanted was to go home and sleep so he could head to the library first thing in the morning and do some homework. 

"Have you met my son Julian?" Maxwell asked his conversational partner a few minutes later. 

Here it comes. The inevitable moment where he would have to show off to make his father look better. As if his brains had anything to do with that man whatsoever. Considering what his family members were like, he was convinced he was a genetic anomaly.