4

I walked into the first day of World History on Tuesday and immediately noticed Chloe and three of her ADB sisters sitting in the front row of the lecture hall. I've always had an aversion to sitting in the front. I prefer to blend in, and having curly red hair made it difficult enough as is. But, I was also actively trying to distance myself from Chloe as much as possible. I was searching for a seat in the back when Chloe gestured for me to sit with them. To anyone else it would look genuine, but I could see her friends trying hard to suppress giggles. Chloe obviously had an ulterior motive, and I wasn't eager to figure out what it was.

There was only one seat left in the back, and I just managed to slip in the row before the professor closed the door.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" I asked the guy sitting to the right of the empty seat. He was wearing a navy blue and gray NSFU t-shirt and jeans, dark hair falling across his forehead. His green backpack was shoved under his seat and he was quickly scrawling in the notebook on top of his desk.

He stopped writing in his notebook, slowly looked me up and down, looked at the seat next to him, and went back to writing, holding the notebook cover so I couldn't see what he was writing.

"I didn't hear a no," I muttered, dropping my bag onto the floor and sliding into the seat.

The professor started going over the syllabus, and I looked ahead at future assignments. The final paper was a project with one other person.

Compose a ten page paper detailing how a prominent figure from the past would live today.

This is an odd final assignment. I was expecting an intense test or something.

Our deadline for submitting the idea was the following Thursday. I groaned when I saw we had to have ten sources. I was great at writing the actual papers, but research was where I struggled.

The professor gave us time to pick our partners. The person to my left had already picked a partner. I skimmed the remainder of the lecture hall, and it looked like everyone else was partnered up. That left Notebook Guy. I looked at him, and he gave me a side-eye and shrugged.

Whatever. If he didn't want to be friendly, fine. I just needed him to pull his weight on this project.

My phone vibrated with an incoming text.

Chloe: Looks like you drew the short straw. You know that together we would write the best paper this prof has ever seen

I looked down to the front of the lecture hall, but Chloe wasn't paying attention. I put my phone on silent and slipped it into my bag.

I would rather write this entire paper by myself before I'd ever associate my name with her again.

The professor continued to go over the syllabus, while I started brainstorming ideas.

Cleopatra VII.

Mary, Queen of Scots.

Amelia Earhart.

Anne Frank.

"Do you have any ideas?" I leaned over and whispered.

Notebook Guy shrugged, avoiding eye contact.

I slowly exhaled a deep breath and turned to the first sheet in my notebook. I wrote down the four names I'd come up with and slid the notebook onto his desk. After a minute, he added George Washington, Princess Diana, and Beethoven.

"We'll figure it out later," I said.

Class dismissed and everyone started packing to go. I wrote my number on a sticky note and handed it to him. "I'll see you Thursday," I said. He closed my notebook and put it in my hands.

We stood to leave, my eyes level with his shoulder.

He's taller than I was expecting.

As we started walking toward the stairs, he finally made eye contact with me. His eyes were a vibrant shade of green, like sunflower leaves on a bright summer day.

***

After my other classes, I slung my bag over my desk chair in my room and pulled out my History notebook. This project was going to be fun — as long as I didn't end up doing the entire thing by myself.

Then, the sticky note with my number fell out and fluttered to the floor.

"Of course," I muttered.

Sophomore year is off to a great start.

I sighed and opened my window. A wave of fresh, cool air flooded in, carried further into the room by my fans. I immediately started to feel better.

I looked at the bed that was going to be removed and tried to think how best to fill the space. I had just the idea, and I knew who I could ask to help me.

Me: Can we get a futon for my dorm room?

Dad: I can come up Saturday and we can get one

Me: And probably a TV stand

Me: I know I'll have my desk, but I can put that at the foot of the futon and put the TV stand under my bed

Dad: Sure

Dad: Sierra is going to be jealous

Me: So just don't tell her?

As if she'd been summoned, my phone rang with a video call from Sierra.

"So, how is your first week going?" Sierra's straight brown hair fell past her shoulders and onto the purple Lavender Springs Engineering tank top she was wearing. She was sitting in a comfy chair in front of her living room window.

"It's been fine. It's not like I just talked to you yesterday," I laughed, climbing onto the spare bed. Just because it was going to be removed didn't mean I couldn't still use it. "Just typical syllabus days. You know how those go. I saw Chloe and some of her ADB sisters." I rolled my eyes.

She laughed. "Are you going to rush this year? You know mom is still upset that you didn't last year."

I sighed. "No. You know I had that…issue with Chloe."

"You don't have to convince me. I think the whole sorority thing is dumb. That's why I didn't join. Sorry again for dumping our family legacy on you."

I laughed. "I've had three years to get used to the idea. I'm used to disappointing Mom anyway."

She rolled her brown eyes. "No joke. So, tell me about your classes. Any cute guys?"

"So far so good. Chemistry is going to suck, for sure."

"Ooh, I love chemistry. Aaaand? Guys? Any chemistry there?"

I rolled my eyes at her joke. "It's too soon to tell." I tried to avoid eye contact, but she could see right through me.

"Alexia Rochelle! Spill. Right now."

I sat up, trying to get more comfortable. "Sierra Aspen, this is exactly why I hate video chatting with you."

She narrowed her eyes. "There must be one guy."

I sighed. "He's not…"

"I knew it! I knew there was someone."

"Sierra! He's definitely not cute. He's just really intriguing. He didn't say a word to me and is like…broody? But, he's going to be my partner on this class project for the entire semester." I imitated a gag.

"Hmm, that's disappointing." Then, she paused. I heard her door open and close, followed by muffled conversation.

She looked back at her phone, eyes twinkling, and said, "Tyeshia is home, and we have dinner plans."

I nodded. I should probably think about getting food too.

"Sounds good. Tell her I say hi. Love you."

"Love you, too."