The Space Between Us

The first thing I learned about Great was that he had absolutely no respect for other people's property.

The second thing I learned was that he looked annoyingly good while doing it.

I stood at the entrance of Lecture Hall B, staring at the stranger occupying my seat.

My seat.

The seat I'd been sitting in since the beginning of the semester.

The seat I'd chosen because it was close enough to the lecturer for me to hear everything, but far enough from the front that I wouldn't be volunteered for every question.

And now some guy was sitting there like he had paid rent.

I tightened my grip around my notebook.

"Excuse me."

He didn't move.

I cleared my throat.

"Excuse me."

Nothing.

He was staring down at his phone, one earbud hanging loosely from his ear, completely oblivious to the fact that I was standing directly in front of him.

I tapped the edge of his desk.

He finally looked up.

And for one stupid second, I forgot what I wanted to say.

He had the kind of face that would make girls forgive bad behavior.

Sharp jaw. Dark eyes. Slightly messy hair. A small scar near his eyebrow.

His expression, however, ruined everything.

He looked at me like I was interrupting something important.

"Yes?"

I blinked.

"You're sitting in my seat."

His eyes moved briefly to the chair beneath him.

Then back to me.

"This seat has your name on it?"

I stared at him.

"Do you see anybody else sitting here?"

"No."

"Exactly."

He shrugged and returned his attention to his phone.

I actually thought I had misheard him.

"Are you serious?"

"Very."

I looked around the lecture hall.

There were plenty of empty seats.

Plenty.

I pointed toward one of them.

"There are empty seats everywhere."

"I know."

"Then why are you sitting here?"

He finally looked up again.

"Because I like this one."

I laughed once, mostly out of disbelief.

"You've got to be joking."

"No."

"Get up."

His eyebrow lifted.

"That's not how you ask someone to move."

I folded my arms.

"And how exactly should I ask?"

He smiled.

It wasn't a sweet smile.

It was the kind of smile that said he knew he was annoying me and was enjoying every second of it.

"Please."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Please get out of my seat."

"Better."

He stood.

I expected him to move away.

Instead, he stepped closer, picked up his bag and placed it on the seat beside him.

"Sit."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"You wanted the seat."

"Yes."

"So sit."

I looked at him suspiciously.

Then at the chair.

Then back at him.

"You are extremely irritating."

"I've been told."

He walked away before I could respond.

I dropped into my seat, mumbling under my breath.

Who did he think he was?

I opened my notebook and tried to focus on the lecture.

Five minutes later, someone pulled out the chair beside me.

I didn't look up.

"If you're here to annoy me again, I'm not interested."

A familiar voice answered.

"Good morning to you too."

My head snapped up.

Great.

He sat beside me.

I frowned.

"Why are you here?"

"This is my seat."

I stared at him.

He smiled.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not."

"Out of all the seats in this hall?"

"Apparently, we have the same taste."

I rolled my eyes and turned toward the lecturer.

I decided then that I was going to ignore him.

Completely.

For the next two hours, I would pretend he didn't exist.

It worked for exactly seven minutes.

"Do you have a pen?"

I ignored him.

"Chisom."

My head turned sharply.

"How do you know my name?"

He pointed at the notebook in front of me.

My name was written across the top.

I looked down.

Of course.

I sighed.

"Why?"

"I need a pen."

"Then buy one."

He stared at me.

"You carry three."

I looked down.

Three pens.

I hated that he had noticed.

I handed him one without looking at him.

"Thank you."

"Don't lose it."

"I won't."

He did.

Twenty minutes later, the lecturer announced a group assignment.

Four students per group.

My heart sank.

I hated group assignments.

The lecturer began calling out names.

"Chisom Okafor."

I raised my hand.

"Great Williams."

My head slowly turned.

He was already looking at me.

His lips curved into a smile.

I immediately looked away.

No.

Absolutely not.

The lecturer continued.

"You two will work together with Ada and Michael."

I closed my eyes.

This had to be a joke.

When the lecture ended, I packed my things quickly.

Maybe if I left before Great caught up with me, I could avoid him.

I made it halfway down the hallway before I heard his voice.

"Hey, seat thief."

I stopped.

Turned around.

He was walking toward me, my pen between his fingers.

"You forgot something."

He held it out.

I snatched it from him.

"Thank you."

He smiled.

"You know, you're not very friendly."

"And you're not very respectful."

"Fair."

He started walking beside me.

I frowned.

"Where are you going?"

"Same direction."

"You don't know where I'm going."

"I know where the library is."

I stopped walking.

"So do I."

"Good."

He continued walking.

I stared after him.

Then, against my better judgment, I followed.

Neither of us knew it then.

But that annoying boy who stole my seat on a random Monday morning was about to become the person who would change my life.

And I had no idea whether I would eventually thank him for it—

or wish I'd never met him.