ANMELDENAARON'S POVKyle took a sip from his drink before looking at me. "So..." he said. "How did the makeup test go?"My chest tightened, recalling how Jack and I had spent some time in the classroom, redoing a test. I recalled how my pen had fallen and how we had both reached for it. Then, our fingers brushed lightly. My stomach flipped.I recalled how Jack had asked if the injury on my head was hurting which made me wonder if he had actually seen me walk into that locker.My hand instinctively drifted toward the sore spot on my forehead.So he really had seen it. He had seen me walk straight into that locker.Fuck.I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.I forced myself back to the present and shrugged. “I passed." I replied Kyle.Kyle's eyes lit up. "Wow… really?"I nodded once, resisting the urge to look at Jack again. The last time my eyes wandered in his direction, I found the new girl pouting at him while tugging lightly on his sleeve. I had looked away almost immediately, but not
JACK'S POVMy phone vibrated just as I unlocked it. For a second, I simply stared at the screen.Aaron.A slow smile found its way onto my face before I could stop it.He had booked.After everything that had happened the other night, after the awkward silence and the way he'd walked out of the club without looking back, I had honestly thought he wouldn't come again.My thumb hovered over his name as I reread his name for what was probably the fifth time.Tonight. I was going to see him tonight.The thought settled warmly in my chest. I didn't even realize I was smiling until I felt someone looking at me.I lifted my head.Across the cafeteria, Aaron was staring at me. The moment our eyes met, he looked away.The corner of my lips lifted again. His reaction was becoming strangely adorable.I let my gaze linger on him for another second before a sudden warmth hit my left ear."What the…" I jerked instinctively, nearly dropping my phone, and slapped a hand over my ear before turning.C
AARON'S POVAll heads turned toward the cafeteria entrance as whispers began as usual."So the rumors are actually true.""Damn... she's even prettier up close.""Jack really has good taste.""Look at her skin.""Seriously, what skincare products does she use?"Their voices blended together into one noisy wave of admiration.My eyes stayed on the girl as she walked beside Jack, and before I could stop myself, my mind drifted back to earlier.She had waved and smiled at me.Did she actually know me?That didn't make any sense because I had never seen her before today.Maybe she had only been smiling at someone behind me. Maybe I had just imagined the whole thing.That had to be it.But still, I couldn't shake the feeling that that smile had been meant for me.My gaze slowly shifted from her to Jack. Almost immediately, his eyes found mine like he had been searching for me.A light smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.My stomach flipped as I quickly looked away."Who's she?" Chloe a
ARIANA'S POVI couldn't stop. No matter how hard I tried, the sobs just kept coming. My shoulders shook violently beneath my hands as I struggled to breathe through the overwhelming ache in my chest."I'm..." I gasped between broken breaths. "I'm sorry..."I wasn't even sure who I was apologizing to anymore.Maya.Professor Thiago.Myself.Another sob escaped before I could swallow it back.Then, I swayed forward. He caught me again before I could lose my balance completely.For a brief second, I tried to pull away but I couldn't.My forehead ended up resting against the front of his shirt, and fresh tears soaked into the soft fabric almost immediately."Oh God..." I whispered through trembling breaths. "I'm... I'm so sorry..."Professor Thiago remained completely still.I felt him hesitate like he wasn't sure whether moving would make things worse."Ms. Castillo..."His voice was gentle.I squeezed my eyes shut. "I'm sorry," I cried again. "I'm ruining your shirt..."He didn't answer
AARON'S POVProfessor Rachelle's words refused to leave my head as I hurriedly left the classroom.“Spend at least five hours together.” “Interview one another.”“Visit at least one place together.” “Get to know who your partner really is.”I almost laughed.Get to know Jack? How exactly was I supposed to do that?This was so much worse than I'd first thought. At first, I had assumed it was just a normal assignment. We would split the work, write a report, present it, and move on.But no.This project was practically forcing us to become friends.How exactly was I supposed to get to know Jack Pierce?A guy who could look at me with genuine concern one moment, then act like I don't even exist the next. A guy who had once framed me for something I didn't do. A guy who had nearly cost me my scholarship. A guy I couldn't stop thinking about no matter how hard I tried.My fingers curled tightly around my bag straps.Every time I thought I had finally figured him out, he would do something
JACK'S POVThe bell rang, cutting straight through Professor Rachelle's explanation.She glanced at the clock before setting the marker down."I'll stop here for today, but before you leave, let me remind you of what's expected." Her gaze swept across the classroom. "This isn't just another written assignment. Social Science is about understanding people, so over the course of this semester, you're going to understand the person assigned to be your project partner."She paused for a while, and began walking through the middle of the class. "Each pair is expected to spend at least five hours together outside school. You'll interview one another, visit at least one place together, and by the end of the semester, you'll present a project titled..." She smiled. "'Who My Partner Really Is.'""Your presentation won't be about your partner's favorite color or what they eat for breakfast. I want you to understand who they really are… their values, habits, goals, fears, strengths, weaknesses."
AARON'S POVI held the folded paper tightly in my hand as I walked toward the cafeteria. My thumb rubbed slowly against the edge of it while the words inside kept replaying in my head.“Keep your eyes open, Aaron. You’re missing something obvious.”Missing what exactly?Then the signature beneath i
AARON'S POVMy dad once said, if something is worth having, you don’t let it slip away without a fight. I used to think it was just one of those things parents say to sound wise. But now I understand it differently because nothing about this scholarship has been easy. And I’m not about to lose it w
JACK'S POV “The way you sound when you say my name.”I shouldn’t have said that, but it was true. There was something soft and careful in the way he said ‘Jay’.But that wasn't my name. A flicker of irritation surged through me. I looked away, running a hand through my hair.I wanted—just once—to
AARON'S POV My arms tightened around him.I didn’t even realize how hard I was holding on until my fingers curled into his coat, gripping like I was afraid to let go.My face was buried against his chest, my breathing uneven, my heart still racing from everything that had just happened.For a mome







