Olivia's POV
Something about the guy I bumped into earlier today felt… off.
Not in a bad way. More like the kind of "off" that sticks in your mind even when you don't want it to.
Maybe it was the way his smile almost threw me off balance, or how calm and natural he was, like nothing in the world could shake him.
Anyway, recess was almost over, and here I was sitting on a bench watching the students play.
Another day gone… wasted. I still haven't made a single friend since I got here.
Just then, the same guy from earlier appeared on the field. I heard someone call out, "Dylan!"
So that's his name. Nice.
He walked in with his two friends, laughing about something I couldn't hear. They were heading to the basketball court, I guess.
And honestly… I love sports. Basketball is actually my favorite.
I watched as they started playing. Dylan was good—like, really good—but not in an obvious try-hard way. It looked effortless. Like he didn't need to think, he just moved.
The way the ball left his hands… the way he moved around the court… people naturally started watching him without even realizing it.
Time passed faster than I expected.
Then the bell rang.
Students started rushing back to class, groaning and complaining like they always do when recess ends too quickly.
Dylan and his friends left the court, still joking around like nothing mattered. There was one of them though—the other guy—who stood out.
I think he's the most popular one. I kept hearing girls talk about him, but I hadn't really paid attention until now.
Anyway, I stood up and headed back to class too.
When I got to class, the atmosphere was the usual mix of noise, laughter, and shifting chairs. People were still settling down when our teacher walked in.
"Good afternoon, class," she said firmly, clapping her hands once to get everyone's attention.
The room slowly quieted.
She placed her books on the table and scanned the class with that look teachers always have—the one that makes you feel like she already knows who didn't do their homework.
"So," she continued, "this term we will be starting a group project."
A few groans filled the room immediately.
Of course.
She ignored them. "This project will test teamwork, creativity, and consistency. I don't want last-minute work. I want effort."
She turned to the board and started writing.
My heart dropped a little as she spoke. Group projects usually meant awkward pairings or doing everything alone while someone else took credit.
Then she started calling names.
"One group: Mia and Kevin."
Papers shuffled. Chairs scraped.
"Next: Sarah and Michael."
More murmurs.
I sat there quietly, already preparing myself mentally for the worst possible partner combination.
Then she paused.
"Olivia… you are paired with Alisha."
I blinked.
Alisha.
Okay… I didn't really know her, but she seemed quiet. That might not be so bad.
I turned slightly and caught her eye. She gave a small nod. I nodded back.
Alright. That's settled.
The teacher continued assigning the rest of the class, but my mind was already drifting again. Group projects always felt like social experiments I wasn't ready for.
When she finally finished, she clapped her hands again.
"First meeting with your partners starts tomorrow. I expect progress reports by next week."
Great.
Just great.
Class slowly returned to its usual chaos after she stepped out. People started talking again, laughing, moving around to their friends.
I stayed seated for a moment, packing my books slowly.
"Hey," a soft voice said beside me.
I looked up.
Alisha stood there holding her bag, looking a little unsure. She wasn't loud or flashy—just… calm.
"Hi," I replied.
"I guess we're partners," she said quietly.
"Yeah," I nodded. "We are."
A small pause.
Then she smiled a little. "We should probably decide what we're doing tomorrow."
"Yeah… probably," I agreed.
It wasn't awkward. Just… new.
She hesitated like she wanted to say something else, but instead she just gave a small wave and went back to her seat.
I watched her for a second.
Maybe this won't be so bad.
When I finally stood up to leave, I caught movement outside the classroom window.
The basketball court was still visible from here.
And there he was again.
Dylan.
Still laughing with his friends like nothing in the world weighed on him.
But this time… something made me pause.
He wasn't just popular.
He felt… noticed. Constantly noticed. Like the world had already decided who he was before he even spoke.
And somehow…
My eyes didn't want to look away.
I frowned a little at myself.
Why do I keep looking at him?
I adjusted my grip on my bag.
"Don't get distracted," I muttered under my breath.
But even as I walked out of the classroom, I could still feel it.
Like something had already started… without my permission.
And I had no idea where it was going.