Chapter Two: An Unwanted Partner

I regretted agreeing to the group assignment the moment I stepped into the library.

Not because of the assignment.

Because of Great.

He was already there.

Of course he was.

He sat at one of the tables near the window, his laptop open in front of him. He looked completely relaxed, like he hadn't spent the entire morning irritating me.

Ada waved when she saw me.

"Chisom! Over here."

I walked toward them and dropped my bag onto the chair.

Great looked up.

"You're late."

I checked my phone.

"I'm two minutes late."

"Still late."

I stared at him.

"You've been waiting for two minutes and you've already started complaining?"

"Exactly."

I pulled out my chair.

"Then next time, start without me."

"I would have, but we're missing something."

"What?"

He pushed a sheet of paper toward me.

"Our research topic."

I picked it up.

I read the topic once.

Then again.

"You chose this?"

Great nodded.

"You don't like it?"

"I hate it."

Ada laughed.

Michael looked between us.

"You two are going to kill each other before we finish this assignment."

"She's the one with the problem," Great said.

I looked at him.

"Excuse me?"

"You've been angry with me since yesterday."

"You stole my seat."

"I gave it back."

"You took my pen."

"I returned it."

"You followed me to the library."

"You followed me too."

"I was coming here for the assignment."

"So was I."

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it.

Ada covered her smile with her hand.

"I think you two should just get married and save us the stress."

"Absolutely not," I said.

"Never," Great said at the exact same time.

We looked at each other.

For some reason, that made Ada laugh even harder.

I shook my head.

"Can we please focus?"

For the next hour, surprisingly, we did.

Great wasn't as useless as I expected.

Actually, he was annoyingly good.

He explained complicated points clearly, found useful sources quickly, and even noticed a mistake in my notes that I hadn't seen.

I hated admitting it, but he was smart.

Very smart.

"You've been quiet for five minutes," he said.

I looked up.

"So?"

"I'm beginning to think you don't know what to say."

I scoffed.

"I'm just concentrating."

"On me?"

I nearly choked.

"In your dreams."

He laughed.

That laugh caught me off guard.

It wasn't the arrogant laugh I'd heard yesterday.

It was genuine.

Warm.

For a second, I forgot to look away.

His eyes met mine.

Neither of us spoke.

Then Michael cleared his throat.

"So... are we continuing?"

I immediately looked down at my notes.

"Yes."

Great leaned back in his chair, still smiling.

I ignored him.

At least I tried to.

By the time we finished, it was almost evening.

Ada and Michael left first.

I packed my things slowly.

Outside, dark clouds had gathered over the campus.

I checked my phone.

No missed calls.

No messages.

I sighed.

I had forgotten my umbrella.

Great stood beside me.

"You don't have an umbrella?"

"No."

He opened his bag and pulled one out.

"Come."

I looked at him.

"Come where?"

"I'll walk you."

"I can manage."

"I didn't ask if you could."

I frowned.

"You're always telling people what to do."

"And you're always arguing."

"Because you're annoying."

He smiled.

"Then we're consistent."

I wanted to refuse.

I really did.

But the first drops of rain landed on the pavement.

I looked at the sky.

Then at the umbrella.

Then at Great.

"Fine."

We walked side by side.

The umbrella wasn't big enough for two people, so our shoulders kept brushing.

Every time it happened, I moved slightly away.

Every time I moved, Great adjusted the umbrella toward me.

"You'll get wet," I said.

"I'm fine."

"You've barely covered yourself."

"You're the one who needs it."

I looked at him.

For the first time since we'd met, he wasn't teasing me.

He was serious.

Something about that made my chest feel strangely warm.

We reached the junction where we had to separate.

I stopped.

"Thanks."

He nodded.

"You're welcome."

I turned to leave.

"Chisom."

I looked back.

He held out his hand.

"Your pen."

I stared at him.

Then laughed.

"You still have it?"

He nodded.

"I told you I'd return it."

I took it from him.

"Keep it next time."

He smiled.

"Maybe I will."

I walked away before he could say anything else.

But halfway down the road, I caught myself smiling.

I immediately stopped.

"No."

I shook my head.

"Absolutely not."

I wasn't falling for him.

I barely even liked him.

At least, that's what I told myself.

That night, as I lay in bed, my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Great: You forgot your notebook.

I sat up.

I checked my bag.

It wasn't there.

Another message appeared.

Great: Don't worry. I have it.

I stared at the screen.

Then another message came.

Great: You'll have to see me tomorrow.

I frowned.

I typed a reply.

Deleted it.

Typed another.

Deleted that one too.

Finally, I sent:

Me: Bring it to class.

His reply came almost immediately.

Great: I will.

Then, after a few seconds:

Great: Goodnight, seat thief.

I smiled before I could stop myself.

Then I threw my phone onto the bed.

This boy was going to be a problem.

I just didn't know yet how big of a problem he would become.