Chapter 2: Assigned to Him

The next day felt heavier than it should’ve.

She told herself it was just another class. Another lecture. Another boring routine.

But somehow… her eyes still searched the room the moment she entered.

She hated that.

And she hated even more that she already knew where he would be sitting.

Two rows behind her.

Exactly like yesterday.

She walked in, chose her seat, and placed her bag down carefully—like if she moved too loudly, something might happen.

Ridiculous.

“Good morning class,” the professor began. “Today, we’ll be assigning your semester project partners.”

A collective reaction filled the room—some excited, some annoyed, most uninterested.

She stayed still.

Partners meant teamwork.

Teamwork meant problems.

The professor started reading names from his list.

“Lara and Miguel.”

“Daniella and Chris.”

Names kept pairing up until—

“Jade…”

She straightened slightly.

“…and Kieran Vale.”

Silence.

Then—

A wave of whispers exploded across the room.

Her heart dropped for a second.

No.

Out of everyone.

Why him?

She slowly turned her head without meaning to.

And there he was.

Still calm. Still unreadable.

Like the universe didn’t just assign her to the most talked-about student in campus.

Like it meant nothing.

He stood up without hesitation, grabbing his things and walking forward.

Straight toward her.

Each step felt louder than it should’ve.

When he reached her desk, he didn’t smile.

He didn’t greet her.

He just looked at her notebook for a second… then at her.

“You’re my partner,” he said simply.

Not a question.

A statement.

She blinked. “I can see that.”

A pause.

His eyes flickered—just slightly. Like he wasn’t used to people answering him like that.

“Good,” he said finally. “You’re not clueless.”

Her brows furrowed. “Excuse me?”

But he had already sat down beside her.

Beside her.

Not behind. Not far.

Too close.

She could smell faint traces of his cologne—clean, subtle, distracting in a way she didn’t want to admit.

“Let’s set rules,” he said, opening his notebook.

“Rules?” she repeated.

“Yes.” He finally looked at her again. “If we’re going to finish top-tier work, we don’t waste time.”

She crossed her arms. “Who said I need rules?”

That made him pause.

A small silence stretched between them.

Then—almost faintly—

“Interesting,” he said.

“What is?”

“You talk like you don’t care about being first.”

“I don’t,” she said quickly.

He leaned back slightly, studying her like she was a problem he hadn’t solved yet.

“You will,” he replied. “Everyone does.”

That line should’ve annoyed her.

But instead, it stayed in her head longer than it should’ve.

The professor continued speaking in the background, but she wasn’t listening anymore.

Because Kieran Vale had already turned his notebook toward her.

And written something at the top of the page.

Project Title: Undefined

She frowned. “What does that mean?”

He didn’t look up.

“It means we don’t start with expectations,” he said. “We figure it out as we go.”

She stared at him.

“You’re weird,” she muttered.

That time—

A faint smirk appeared.

Barely there.

But real.

“So are you,” he said.

And for the first time since she met him…

She didn’t have a comeback ready.

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