Chapter 1: The Boy I Hated

The first day of senior year arrived with bright sunlight pouring through the windows of Westwood High School. Students filled the hallways with excited voices after three months of summer vacation. Some were busy sharing stories about their trips, while others complained about having to return to school.

Amelia Carter walked through the crowded corridor with a stack of books pressed against her chest. Unlike most students, she wasn't interested in chatting or wasting time. Her goal was simple: survive her final year with excellent grades and get accepted into her dream university.

After reaching her classroom, she chose her usual seat near the window. The morning breeze gently lifted a few strands of her long dark hair as she organized her notebooks. Everything felt peaceful.

At least, until the classroom door suddenly opened.

A burst of laughter entered before the person himself did.

Ethan Hayes.

Amelia didn't even need to look up to know who it was. There was only one person in the entire school capable of making that much noise before eight in the morning.

Ethan stepped inside with his backpack hanging lazily over one shoulder. His friends immediately gathered around him, talking about basketball practice and summer adventures. As usual, he looked completely relaxed, as if life had never given him a single problem.

Unfortunately, Ethan's eyes wandered across the classroom and landed on Amelia.

A mischievous smile appeared on his face.

Amelia sighed internally.

Not him.

Not today.

Not on the very first day.

She lowered her gaze, hoping he would leave her alone. Of course, her luck had never been that good.

A shadow fell across her desk.

"Good morning, Amelia."

His voice carried the same teasing tone she had heard for years.

Amelia slowly looked up. "What do you want?"

Ethan placed a hand dramatically on his chest. "Wow. I was just being friendly."

"You and friendly don't belong in the same sentence."

A few nearby students laughed.

Instead of looking offended, Ethan seemed entertained.

"Still as nice as ever."

"And you're still annoying."

"Glad to know you missed me."

"I didn't."

The smile on Ethan's face only grew wider.

Amelia hated that smile.

Actually, hate might not have been the right word.

It was simply impossible to stay calm whenever Ethan Hayes was around. He always found new ways to get on her nerves. Whether it was hiding her pens, making ridiculous jokes, or teasing her whenever she answered questions correctly in class, he never seemed to run out of ideas.

For years, Amelia had convinced herself that Ethan was the last person she wanted to spend time with.

The problem was that fate seemed determined to put them together.

When the teacher entered the classroom a few minutes later, Amelia thought the interruption would finally save her. She was wrong.

As Ethan returned to his seat, he casually tossed something onto her desk.

Amelia frowned.

It was a small chocolate bar.

She looked back at him in confusion.

Ethan simply shrugged.

"Consider it a welcome-back gift."

For a brief moment, Amelia didn't know what to say.

Then she pushed the chocolate toward the edge of her desk.

"I don't accept gifts from troublemakers."

Ethan chuckled softly.

"Keep it anyway."

Before she could argue, class began.

Amelia stared at the chocolate for several seconds before turning her attention to the lesson. She didn't notice Ethan glancing toward her from the other side of the room.

Nor did she notice the small smile that appeared on his face when she quietly slipped the chocolate into her bag instead of throwing it away.

Chapter 2: An Unwanted Partner

The first week of school passed more quickly than Amelia expected. Classes became busier, assignments started piling up, and the peaceful routine she had carefully planned for herself was slowly taking shape. Everything would have been perfect if Ethan Hayes had not made it his personal mission to appear wherever she was.

Every morning, he somehow arrived just as she reached her classroom. During lunch, he always found an excuse to sit near her table. Even in the library, a place Amelia considered sacred, Ethan occasionally appeared with that irritating smile that made her want to throw a book at him.

Naturally, Amelia spent the entire week pretending he did not exist.

Unfortunately, Ethan seemed to enjoy challenging that decision.

On Friday morning, their homeroom teacher entered the classroom carrying a stack of papers. The moment Amelia saw them, she knew trouble was coming.

"Class," the teacher announced, "next month our school will hold the annual Academic Showcase. Each pair will prepare a presentation and compete against other classes."

A collective groan immediately filled the room.

Amelia, however, paid close attention. The Academic Showcase was important. Winning would look impressive on university applications.

The teacher smiled. "I have already chosen the pairs."

Amelia silently prayed for anyone reasonable.

Anyone.

Literally anyone.

The teacher began reading names one by one. Students exchanged relieved smiles when they were paired with friends. Some complained dramatically. Others seemed excited.

Then Amelia heard her name.

"Amelia Carter..."

She straightened immediately.

"...and Ethan Hayes."

The entire classroom exploded with laughter.

Amelia froze.

Across the room, Ethan looked just as surprised.

For three full seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Amelia raised her hand.

"There must be a mistake."

At the exact same moment, Ethan said, "I think there must be a mistake."

The class laughed even harder.

The teacher adjusted her glasses. "No mistake. I chose the pairs carefully."

Amelia felt her headache arriving.

"But—"

"No arguments."

The teacher's voice left no room for discussion.

Amelia slowly lowered her hand.

This was a disaster.

A complete disaster.

When the bell rang for lunch, she immediately gathered her things and marched toward Ethan before he could disappear.

He noticed her approaching and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, this is new."

"We need to talk."

"Sounds serious."

"It is serious."

Ethan leaned back against a desk, waiting.

Amelia crossed her arms.

"Listen carefully. This project is important to me."

"Okay."

"I don't want jokes."

"Okay."

"I don't want excuses."

"Okay."

"I don't want you forgetting meetings."

"Okay."

His calm responses only irritated her more.

"Are you even listening?"

Ethan stared at her for a second before laughing.

"I'm listening."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because you're acting like we're preparing for a mission to save the world."

Amelia glared at him.

To her annoyance, Ethan only seemed more amused.

After a moment, however, his expression softened slightly.

"Relax, Amelia."

"I'm perfectly relaxed."

"No, you're not."

She hated that he was right.

Ethan pushed himself away from the desk and adjusted his backpack.

"For what it's worth, I want a good grade too."

Amelia blinked.

That answer surprised her.

For years she had assumed Ethan didn't care about school. He always looked too relaxed, too carefree.

As if reading her thoughts, Ethan smirked.

"You know, I'm not actually stupid."

"I never said you were."

"You were thinking it."

"I wasn't."

"You were."

Amelia looked away first.

Unfortunately, she really had been thinking it.

The corner of Ethan's mouth lifted in victory.

The sight made Amelia roll her eyes.

A few moments later, they began discussing the project. To Amelia's surprise, Ethan actually contributed useful ideas. Not only that, but some of them were genuinely good.

The realization annoyed her far more than it should have.

Because if Ethan was capable of being responsible, then she would have one less reason to dislike him.

As they continued planning, Amelia found herself noticing things she had ignored before. Ethan listened carefully when people spoke. He remembered details surprisingly well. And whenever another student asked for help, he never refused.

It was strange.

Almost as if there were two versions of Ethan Hayes.

The annoying boy who loved teasing her.

And another version that rarely appeared.

A version she didn't understand yet.

After nearly an hour of discussion, they finally finished organizing their schedule.

Ethan stood up first.

"Looks like we're partners now."

Amelia sighed.

"Unfortunately."

He laughed.

"You really don't like me, huh?"

The question caught her off guard.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Amelia shrugged.

"You make it very difficult."

Instead of looking hurt, Ethan smiled.

"Challenge accepted."

Before Amelia could ask what that meant, he turned around and walked away.

She watched him disappear down the hallway, feeling oddly unsettled.

For the first time in years, she wasn't entirely sure what to think about Ethan Hayes.

And somehow, that thought bothered her even more than his teasing ever had.

Chapter 3: A Different Side of Him

The weekend passed quietly for Amelia. Most of her time was spent reading reference materials for the Academic Showcase. Although she hated to admit it, Ethan had actually suggested several useful ideas during their discussion on Friday. The project already seemed more organized than she had expected.

Still, she refused to give him too much credit.

After all, one productive conversation could not erase years of annoyance.

Monday morning arrived with gray clouds hanging over the city. The weather forecast had predicted rain, but Amelia paid little attention to it as she hurried toward school. By the time classes ended in the afternoon, however, the sky had darkened completely.

The first drops began falling just as students started leaving the building.

Within minutes, the rain turned into a downpour.

Amelia stood beneath the entrance roof and frowned. She had forgotten her umbrella.

Around her, students quickly called their parents or ran through the rain with friends. One by one, the crowd disappeared until only a few people remained.

Amelia checked her phone.

No answer from her mother.

Great.

She looked out at the heavy rain and sighed.

It seemed she would be waiting for a while.

"Looks like you're stuck."

The familiar voice instantly made her regret turning around.

Ethan stood a few steps away, spinning an umbrella lazily in one hand.

Amelia resisted the urge to groan.

"Why are you still here?"

"My basketball practice was canceled."

"How unfortunate."

"For you or for me?"

"For me."

Ethan laughed softly.

The rain continued pouring outside, creating a curtain of water that blurred the view of the parking lot. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. Amelia focused on her phone while Ethan leaned against a nearby pillar.

The silence was surprisingly comfortable.

Which felt strange.

Most of their interactions usually ended in arguments.

After another ten minutes, Ethan glanced at the darkening sky.

"Your ride isn't coming?"

"No."

"You forgot your umbrella?"

Amelia hated how easily he figured it out.

"Maybe."

"That means yes."

She ignored him.

Ethan looked outside again before extending his umbrella toward her.

"Take it."

Amelia blinked.

"What?"

"Take the umbrella."

"And what about you?"

"I'll survive."

She stared at him suspiciously.

This felt like a trap.

"Why?"

Ethan shrugged.

"Because you're obviously not walking home in that rain."

Amelia hesitated.

For a moment, she couldn't find the usual teasing hidden behind his words.

He sounded sincere.

And somehow, that made accepting the offer even more difficult.

"I'll be fine."

"You'll get sick."

"I won't."

"You definitely will."

Amelia opened her mouth to argue, but Ethan suddenly stepped closer and placed the umbrella into her hands.

The movement was so unexpected that she froze.

"There."

His smile returned, but this time it looked gentler.

"Problem solved."

Before Amelia could react, Ethan started walking toward the rain.

Without the umbrella.

"Wait."

He stopped and glanced back.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"Going home."

"In the rain?"

Ethan looked upward dramatically.

"Pretty sure that's where rain usually is."

Amelia rolled her eyes.

Yet for some reason, watching him walk away like that felt wrong.

"Idiot," she muttered.

Ethan grinned.

"I've heard worse."

Then he disappeared into the rain.

For several seconds, Amelia remained standing there, holding the umbrella he had given her.

The rain drummed softly against the fabric overhead.

A strange feeling settled inside her chest.

Confusion.

Because that wasn't how annoying people were supposed to act.

The next morning, Amelia arrived at school earlier than usual.

The umbrella was carefully folded inside her bag.

She intended to return it immediately.

Unfortunately, Ethan wasn't in his usual seat.

Nor did he appear when classes began.

Amelia frowned.

That was unusual.

Ethan was rarely absent.

Halfway through the morning, the teacher casually mentioned that Ethan had called in sick.

Sick.

The word immediately reminded Amelia of yesterday's rain.

A small feeling of guilt crept into her stomach.

No.

It wasn't her fault.

He had chosen to walk home without an umbrella.

Still...

The thought remained in her mind for the rest of the day.

By lunchtime, she found herself staring at the empty desk near the back of the classroom.

It was strange how much quieter everything felt without him.

No jokes.

No teasing.

No unnecessary comments.

Exactly the way she always claimed she wanted.

So why did it feel so different?

Amelia quickly looked away.

She refused to think about it.

Absolutely refused.

Yet when school ended that afternoon, she found herself checking her phone.

A new message had appeared in the project group chat.

From Ethan.

Still alive. Don't celebrate too early.

For a moment, Amelia simply stared at the screen.

Then, despite herself, a small smile appeared on her face.

It disappeared almost immediately.

But it had been there.

And for the first time since meeting Ethan Hayes, Amelia didn't feel annoyed when she saw his name.

Not entirely.