2

The Pairing No One Wanted

Kendra 

"Miss Hayes, please remain after class."

My heart sinks as Professor West's voice cuts through the chatter of students packing up their bags. It's been three days since our conversation in his office, and I've been avoiding eye contact ever since. But apparently, that doesn't matter.

I waited until the room empties before approaching his desk, keeping as much distance between us as possible.

"I have your project partner assignment," he says, holding up a piece of paper. "For the semester-long behavioral psychology study."

"Project partner?" My voice comes out as barely a whisper.

"Yes. You'll be working with Mr. Cross." He gestures toward the door where Axel is walking back into the classroom, looking annoyed.

My stomach drops. "Professor West, could I please work alone? I do better on my own, and.."

"Absolutely not." His tone is ice cold. "This project requires two people, and the pairings have already been decided."

Axel reaches us just in time to hear the last part. "What pairings?" he asks, looking between us.

"Congratulations, Mr. Cross. You and Miss Hayes will be studying the psychological effects of social isolation for the next three months."

"What?" Axel's voice rises. "No way. I'm not babysitting some spineless nerd who can't even speak up in class."

The words hit me like a slap, but I'm used to people talking about me like I'm not there.

"The decision is final," Professor West says with a smile that makes my skin crawl. "I'm sure you'll find Miss Hayes... educational to work with."

"Professor, please," I tried again. "I could do the project by myself and just present it as a group. I don't mind doing extra work."

His gray eyes narrow. "Are you questioning my judgment, Miss Hayes?"

The threat in his voice is clear. I shake my head quickly.

"Good. You two will meet twice a week to work on your research. I suggest you start immediately." He turns to Axel. "And Mr. Cross, I'd be very careful about how you treat your partner. Miss Hayes is under my special protection."

The way he says "special protection" makes me want to crawl under a rock and disappear.

Axel looks between us, his jaw clenching. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with."

+++++++++

An hour later, I'm sitting in the library's quietest corner, waiting for Axel to show up. My hands won't stop shaking as I arrange and rearrange my notebooks. Maybe he won't come. Maybe he'll just skip the project and take the failing grade. But then I hear heavy footsteps and the screech of a chair being pulled out too roughly.

"Alright, Princess," Axel says, dropping into the seat across from me. "Let's talk about how this is going to work."

I flinch at the nickname. "I thought we could divide the research topics and.."

"No." He cuts me off. "We're not doing this your way. I'm not letting some teacher's pet drag down my GPA because she's too scared to do real work."

"I'm not scared," I lied.

"Right." He leans back in his chair, studying me with those dark eyes. "That's why you practically run out of every class the second it ends. That's why you never speak up unless West calls on you directly."

"Some people don't need to be the center of attention all the time," I snap back, surprising myself.

"And some people need to grow a spine." His voice is harsh. "You know what I think? I think you're perfectly happy being West's favorite little project. Probably makes you feel special, doesn't it?"

Something inside me snaps. I slam my notebook shut and start shoving books into my bag. "You don't know anything about me."

"Then enlighten me," he says, but I'm already standing up.

"This was a mistake. I'll ask Professor West to.."

"To what? Switch partners so you can keep playing with his pet?"

I whirl around to face him. "Stop calling me that!"

"Why? It's true, isn't it? Everyone sees how he looks at you. Everyone knows you get special treatment."

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Axel stands up too, towering over me. "I saw what happened in his office the other day, Kendra. Through the window."

My blood turns to ice. "You were spying on me?"

"I wasn't spying. I was walking by and saw you looked terrified. What was that about?"

"Nothing." I grab the last of my books, but my hands are shaking so badly that I drop three of them. As I bend down to pick them up, my sleeve rides up.

I hear Axel's sharp intake of breath.

"Jesus. What happened to your wrist?"

I look down and see the purple-blue bruises peeking out from under my sleeve. Fingerprint-shaped marks that I've been hiding under long sleeves and bracelets.

"It's nothing," I say quickly, pulling my sleeve down and gathering my books.

"That doesn't look like nothing."

"Just leave me alone, Axel."

But he grabs my arm gently, nothing like how Professor West grabbed it. "Kendra, if someone's hurting you.."

"No one's hurting me," I lie, jerking away from him. "I have to go."

I practically ran out of the library, leaving Axel standing there with a confused expression on his face.

+++++++

I'm halfway across campus when my phone buzzes. A text from an unknown number, but I know exactly who it is.

I hope you know how to behave. I can take everything away in one report. Your scholarship, your future – everything. Don't forget that. – L.W.

My hands start shaking again. Professor West has made it clear what will happen if I don't cooperate with his "special study sessions." He could destroy my life with one phone call to the financial aid office.

I find an empty hallway in the arts building and slide down the wall until I'm sitting on the floor. The tears come before I can stop them. Quiet sobs that I muffle with my hands because even here, even alone, I'm scared someone will hear me.

This is my life now. Trapped between a professor who sees me as his property and a project partner who thinks I'm pathetic. I can't tell anyone the truth because who would believe me? Professor West is respected, admired. I'm just a scholarship kid with a history that no one knows about.

"Hey."

The voice makes me jump. I look up to see Axel standing at the end of the hallway, looking uncomfortable.

"Go away," I say, wiping my eyes.

"I was looking for you." He walks closer but stops a few feet away. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said in the library. That was... that was messed up."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not." He sits down on the floor across from me. "I don't know what's going on with you, but calling you names isn't going to help our project."

I almost laugh at how wrong he is about what my real problems are.

"What the hell is going on between you and that creep?" he asks suddenly.

My head snaps up. "What?"

"Professor West. I saw how he looked at you, how you reacted when he touched your hand. And now you're crying in empty hallways with bruises on your wrists."

All the blood drains from my face. "You don't know anything. Stay out of it."

Axel's eyes narrow as he studies my reaction. "I wasn't planning to... until now.”