3. I Can't Concentrate

I slipped into the tiered seats of Lecture Hall Theater A, out of breath and in a frantic rush, peeked at my watch, there were still ten minutes left before introductory chemistry started.

‘Whew!’ I thought in relief as I dropped into a seat.

‘That was close. My supposedly perfect first day was almost ruined by Julian Vega.’

I took a spot in the very front row, wanting to focus 100% without paying attention to any of my classmates' absurd antics.

Click.

The main doors swung wide open, followed by a sudden burst of rowdy chatter echoing through the room. My reflexes kicked in and I glanced back, the pen in my hand slipping right out of my fingers.

Julian Vega.

His previous jacket jeans now changed into a dark plaid flannel, the sleeves rolled up haphazardly to his elbows. Right behind him, Valeria Montes strutted in with an artificially graceful stride, flanked by her three loyal sidekicks.

Julian’s deep brown eyes swept across the room, scanning the crowd. The moment his gaze locked onto my position in the front row, he immediately took long, heavy strides toward me, completely ignoring Valeria as she called out his name in protest.

Screech.

The chair right next to mine let out a sharp creak.

Julian sat down.

Right next to me.

I winced quietly, refusing to look his way.

"Julian! What are you doing sitting in the front? The back is way more fun!" Valeria’s shrill voice whined in protest.

That blonde sophisticated girl stood near our desk, pouting at Julian before throwing a look of pure disgust in my direction. "Besides... why do you have to sit next to this hillbilly?"

“I like it here. You can find another spot since this row is full,” Julian shot back nonchalantly. He then dropped his backpack onto the seat beside him—the only remaining empty spot nearby.

Valeria stomped her foot in annoyance, muttering under her breath as she stormed back to the middle rows with her friends.

Not long after, Professor Hardi walked into the lecture hall. Class began. I forced my brain to focus entirely on digesting the complex organic chemistry formulas on the whiteboard, trying to completely tune out Julian’s presence beside me.

"Is anyone able to solve this thermodynamics equation on the board and outline its equilibrium constant?" Professor Hardi asked, throwing the question out to the room.

This was my chance. Finally, I could prove to my favorite professor that there was a student actually keeping pace with his curriculum.

I straightened my posture, preparing to raise my hand. I had already studied this material a month in advance.

"I can, Prof. $K_p = K_c (RT)^{\Delta n}$," I called out confidently, lifting my right hand.

Yet, at that exact microsecond, a deep baritone voice beside me chimed in with identical speed. "And if defined in mole fractions, the equation becomes $K_x = K_p P^{-\Delta n}$, Professor."

I flinched, snapping my head toward him with wide eyes. Julian was leaning back in his chair casually, twirling a pen through his fingers as if it were nothing.

Professor Hardi smiled warmly. "Excellent. Elena Castillo and... Julian Vega, correct? Both precise and incredibly fast. Keep up the great work, you two."

My blood boiled instantly.

‘How is this even possible? He’s supposed to be busy chasing attention and collecting fans. How on earth can he answer a complex question this fast, when I studied until I felt sick just to know it?’ I thought, completely unwilling to accept it.

Throughout the rest of the lecture, every single time I raised my hand to answer, Julian would chime in at the exact same moment, or even cut in with a cleaner, more efficient answer.

‘He was doing it on purpose. He was intentionally showing off to tear me down!’

My heart hammered as a wave of panic began to surface. I remembered the single, absolute condition to keep my scholarship: I had to place first with the highest grades in the class.

If Julian outperformed me, my scholarship was in jeopardy.

The moment Professor Hardi delivered his closing remarks and dismissed the class, I aggressively snatched my pen and laptop, shoving them into my backpack in a frantic blur of mounting anger and disappointment.

Just as I was about to step out from the row of desks, my path was blocked by Valeria Montes and two of her friends, who were already waiting at the edge of the steps.

Valeria stood with her arms crossed, a massive, mocking sneer plastered across her face.

"Woo-hoo... looks like the ugly duckling has finally met her match," Valeria jeered, punctuated by the giggles of her entourage.

Valeria glanced at Julian, who was still at his desk, then locked her eyes back onto me in triumph. "Stop acting like you're the smartest person in the room, Elena. Next to Julian, your brain is absolutely nothing. Get ready to have your spot revoked. My house still needs a cleaning lady, by the way."

I could only offer Valeria a harsh glare; I simply didn't have the energy to entertain her cheap mockery. I brushed past her shoulder, trying to leave.

“Ow! What a rude, rustic girl!” Valeria barked, though I ignored her.

"El, wait."

Julian’s call brought me to a halt in the aisle. He had already stood up and was walking toward me.

“Go away, Mr. Vega,” I snapped, continuing to walk.

A large hand reached out, catching my arm.

He then placed an object directly into the palm of my hand.

With knitted brows, I looked down at the object. It was a river stone about the size of a fist, shaped like a slightly asymmetrical, dull heart, with the faint, faded etchings of the letters 'E & J'.

The exact same stone I had found in the Solverde river ten years ago as a silly birthday gift for him.

"I still have it, El," Julian whispered with deep emphasis. "Every single day. For years, I haven't forgotten the promise written on this stone even once."

It felt as though a sledgehammer had slammed into my chest. The childhood memories flashed vividly in my mind, making my eyes sting with heat.

But the mental image of Julian fooling around with Valeria burned all that sentimentality to ashes in a split second.

Worse, it wasn't enough for this guy to ruin my childhood memories; now he was actively trying to steal my scholarship and my future, too.

I took a deep breath, hardening my gaze as I looked straight into Julian’s deep brown eyes.

"And? Am I supposed to be impressed?"

Julian flinched, the hopeful spark in his eyes dying instantly. "El, I just wanted to show you that I never forgot about you. I—"

"I told you this morning, Mr. Vega," I cut him off firmly. I reached down, picking up the heart-shaped stone with the very tips of my fingers. "Don't bring your childhood garbage here. I don't have time to playhouse."

With a swift, unhesitating motion, I hurled the stone toward the campus pond.

Thud. Splash.

The stone sank into the water and gone without a trace.

Julian stood paralyzed, his face completely pale.