TWO: THE CHALLENGE

Jace stood beside his car,his eyes scanning thousands of students. This way was her regular path to the library, and he was waiting for her to show up.

A girl was pinned against his car,His ex.

She smiled, placing her hand on his chest.

He quickly pushed Fay away.

"What is it, baby?" He smirked,his eyes staring openly at her cleavage.

"Fay,come over after school," she beamed before sashaying her waist out.

Maya had her eyes on the library. She paid no attention to the people around her,lost in her thoughts, and she bumped into Jace.

"Hey,we meet again," she frowned. "Is he talking to me?

"Excuse me," she simply said, shifting to find another way, but he blocked her again.

"Hey,I am Jace." She tried not to laugh,he was trying too hard,but why?

The Jace she knew or sees every day had a bad boy persona, so why was he speaking to her,a nerd?

"I know."

He smiled softly,showing his dimple he knew girls loved, but she only frowned.

"You are blocking my path," he quickly apologized, stepping aside as she walked past him.

He stood completely annoyed,she was ignoring him, and he hated it.

He locked his car and walked into the school library. He casually walked towards her table.

Everyone's eye was on them, and he smiled sitting beside her.

She glanced at him,frowning.

Why is Almighty Jace Anderson in the library?

Jace leaned closer."What are you reading, Maya?"

The way he pronounced her name made her breathe hitched.

She sighed deeply before turning to him.

"Why are you here? "

He smiled.

"To read,duh."

She eyed him before going back to her book.

"I did not fully understand the practical, would you rec -"

"Jace Anderson! You are disturbing other students! Keep it quiet or leave!" The librarians deep voice made he sit well.

He took one of her books,lazily placing it in front of him like he was reading.

She glanced at him,shaking her head before returning to her book.

He scanned her book, and his eyes caught a writeup.

'List'

She wrote down things sh2 wanted to get for herself, and amongst them was a drawing kit and the latest oraimo headphone.

He smirked,he could make use of this.

He closed the book,scanning the small sheet before placing it by her side.

He leaned forward,deliberately as he brought his mouth closer to her ear, his breath tingling her ear.

"I will see you later,Maya." Her breath quickened as he pushed her hair to the side,a smile etched on his handsome face as he rose up, walking out.

She glanced at him,sighing as she pulled her book closer and tried not to think of how close he was just now.

A few hours later,Maya walked into the chemistry class, placing her headphones in her bag.

She frozed as she heard her name. She looked up, and Jace was waving from the side.

She frowned,ignoring him and sitting beside Sophie, who had arrived earlier.

Before Sophie could say a word,Jace was behind her.

"Maya,your bag is cute." She turned to him.

"Jace,what do you want?"

"Nothing,just your name attached to my surname." The people closer burst into laughter.

Sopphie watched them with a frown.

"The teacher would be here soon,"

"Yeah, I know,I tried minding my business, but the y in your name kept drawing me to you," she smiled,obviously finding it funny.

"Jace,why are you acting this way?"

He leaned closer, chuckling as all eyes fell on them.

"This is a 'for you' version of me,"he smirked, seeing her froze. She forced a smile obviously suprosd by his directness.

He touched her curly hair for exactly two seconds before walking away.

Sophie spoke first,her voice clipped,

"Maya,what was that?"

Maya looked at Sophie,her face red, but she looked confused, too.

"I don't know why he is always near me,I hate that he is trying to be nice. " she honestly spoke, folding her sketches.

"Boys like him always have something up their sleeves,don't be deceived, okay? Jace is not a keeper,he uses girls for fun, and he does not care about feelings. " Maya cut Sophie's long blabbing short.

"I know."

"Boys like him destroy everything they touch,he-" Sophie spoke again,concerned etched in her tone.

"I know all this,but why is he speaking to me now? Why is he suddenly flirting with me?"

She questioned softly, lowering her voice.

Sophie only shrugged,her eyes on her phone as she typed a message.

Jace overheard them as he walked past them to use the restroom.

Maya hated to admit. He was acting differently and weirdly,she liked that he noticed her.

She frozed,realizing what she was thinking. She faced palm herself.

He uses girls,it's embarrassing thinking of him this way,i will keep my distance.

She concluded herself as she focused on the teacher who walked in.

later,after class,Jace and Ethan stood in the balcony.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Bro,this girl will fall for me,trust me,girls like her like their boys soft."

"Are you that confident?" Jace glanced at Maya's disappearing figure before replying

"I have a plan,don't worry,i never lose."

Ethan patted his shoulder standing up,Jace turned to him.

"We will see,"

Jace smirked.

"She will be begging for my attention when this is over"