Chapter 1 of your school rom-com story:

"Detention With You"

Chapter 1: The New Seatmate

CJ walked into homeroom with his usual swagger, earbuds in, hoodie up, and a half-eaten croissant in his mouth. It was just another ordinary Monday—until he saw Mrs. Geller rearranging the seating chart on the whiteboard.

"Assigned seats? Seriously?" he muttered, tugging out one earbud.

"Good morning, CJ," Mrs. Geller said with a pointed look. "You're moving to the front row. Right next to Kim Lee."

CJ’s stomach sank. Kim Lee—a.k.a. the queen of quiet, straight-A student, and unofficially the least fun person in school.

He slouched into his new seat and glanced sideways. Kim was already sitting there, her perfect posture and notebook open, her pen neatly aligned with her ruler. She barely acknowledged him with a nod.

“Yo,” CJ said casually.

She gave a polite but distant, “Hi.”

CJ drummed his fingers on the desk, already bored. “So…you like fun or…?”

Kim looked at him with an expression that could dry paint. “I like peace and quiet. Try it sometime.”

CJ smirked. “Ouch. Ice queen vibes. I like it.”

Kim rolled her eyes and turned away, scribbling something in her planner. CJ peeked. Color-coded. Obviously.

By third period, the news had spread—CJ, the school’s biggest class clown, had been seated next to the one girl who never cracked a smile. His friends were already teasing him in the hallway.

“Dude, did she grade your jokes yet?”

“Bet you’ll be fluent in math by next week.”

He brushed them off with a laugh. “I’m turning over a new leaf. Call me Academic CJ.”

Back in class, things didn’t get much better.

When Mrs. Geller announced a semester-long partner project on modern history, CJ actually groaned aloud.

“CJ and Kim,” she said without flinching.

Kim blinked. “What?”

CJ blinked. “What?!”

Mrs. Geller smiled like she’d been waiting for that. “You’ll be working together. I expect great things.”

CJ turned to Kim. “So... want to start failing now or later?”

Kim didn’t even look at him. “Let’s set a schedule. I don’t plan on failing, with or without you.”

CJ raised an eyebrow. This girl was... intense.

And weirdly interesting.

As the bell rang and Kim gathered her books, CJ watched her go. She was already typing something into her phone—probably planning his study schedule.

He grinned to himself.

This was going to be a disaster.

Or maybe, just maybe... something else entirely.

CJ was already regretting everything.

It had been two days since the history project was assigned, and Kim had already sent him a five-point plan, a shared Google Doc, and a full week’s schedule.

He hadn’t opened any of it.

Well—he meant to. But there was a new game out. And he was gonna “just try it for an hour.” That was three hours ago.

In the library after school, Kim sat at a table, laptop open, documents spread out with alarming precision. She looked at her watch, sighed, and didn’t even flinch when CJ finally strolled in—twenty minutes late, sipping bubble tea.

“You’re late,” she said, eyes still on her screen.

“You’re early,” CJ shot back with a grin, pulling up a chair.

“I said 3:30. It’s 3:52.”

“Time is an illusion,” he replied dramatically, poking at her planner.

Kim slid it out of his reach. “Let’s start. Did you read the outline I sent you?”

CJ blinked. “Totally. Yup. Very informative.”

“What was it about?” she asked, deadpan.

“Uh…” He looked around like the bookshelves might whisper him the answer. “It had… history in it?”

Kim exhaled slowly and shut her laptop. “CJ, I can’t do all the work.”

“Okay, okay. Look—I’ll help. Just… not in a super rigid, robot way.”

Kim stared at him like he’d personally insulted her ancestors.

“I’m just

The next day, CJ shocked even himself by showing up to the library early.

Okay, ten minutes early—but still.

Kim was already there, of course. Same neat handwriting. Same color-coded notes. Same expression of mild surprise that CJ had actually come on time.

“You’re early,” she said, narrowing her eyes like it was suspicious.

He grinned and pulled out a chair. “Don’t act like you’re not impressed.”

Kim blinked. “I’m... mildly surprised.”

CJ put a hand on his heart. “I’ll take it.”

For the first time, the project actually started to feel doable.

CJ read his part out loud—only stopping twice to make sound effects and a dramatic announcer voice. Kim didn't laugh, exactly, but her lips twitched like she wanted to.

“Can we focus?” she said, even as she typed up what he said.

CJ leaned in. “Be honest. I’m your most entertaining study partner, right?”

“You’re my only study partner.”

“That’s basically a yes.”

An hour passed like five minutes.

By the time they paused, CJ was flipping through Kim’s notebook, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Whoa,” he said, pointing. “What’s this?”

Kim reached to take it back, but CJ held it up.

“‘Favorite Films List’? Let’s see… 10 Things I Hate About You, To All The Boys, Crazy Rich Asians…” He looked up, eyes wide. “Wait. You like romcoms?”

Kim gave him a small glare. “So?”

“You? Miss Planner? Ice Queen of the Honor Roll? Likes cheesy love stories?”

She snatched the notebook back, cheeks pink. “They’re not cheesy. They’re comforting. And predictable. And... nice.”

CJ grinned. “That’s adorable.”

“I didn’t say it was adorable. I said it was—wait, I mean—ugh.” Kim turned back to her laptop quickly.

He leaned on the table, chin in hand. “You just got way more interesting.”

Kim didn’t reply, but CJ noticed she was typing faster than usual—probably trying to ignore the way her ears had gone red.

A few minutes later, as Kim worked, CJ pulled out his own worn-out notebook. He hesitated—then flipped to a page filled with messy lyrics and half-rhymed lines.

Kim noticed.

“What’s that?”

CJ looked like he might deflect with a joke, but didn’t. “Lyrics. I write songs. Mostly trash.”

She blinked. “You write music?”

He shrugged. “Kinda. I just… I don’t know. Helps me get stuff out of my head, y’know?”

Kim looked at the page, surprised. It was messy, sure—but real.

“Do you ever show anyone?”

CJ closed the notebook. “Nah. People expect me to be the clown. It’s easier.”

For a moment, they just sat in silence. No teasing. No jokes. Just… getting it.

As they packed up to leave, Kim hesitated, then said, “CJ?”

“Yeah?”

“I liked what I saw. In the notebook.”

CJ blinked. “You… liked my lyrics?”

She nodded. “They’re not trash.”

He grinned, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Well, don’t say that too loud. You’re ruining my brand.”

Kim smiled—an actual, real smile.

“See you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said.

And this time, he actually meant it.

The next day, CJ shocked even himself by showing up to the library early.

Okay, ten minutes early—but still.

Kim was already there, of course. Same neat handwriting. Same color-coded notes. Same expression of mild surprise that CJ had actually come on time.

“You’re early,” she said, narrowing her eyes like it was suspicious.

He grinned and pulled out a chair. “Don’t act like you’re not impressed.”

Kim blinked. “I’m... mildly surprised.”

CJ put a hand on his heart. “I’ll take it.”

For the first time, the project actually started to feel doable.

CJ read his part out loud—only stopping twice to make sound effects and a dramatic announcer voice. Kim didn't laugh, exactly, but her lips twitched like she wanted to.

“Can we focus?” she said, even as she typed up what he said.

CJ leaned in. “Be honest. I’m your most entertaining study partner, right?”

“You’re my only study partner.”

“That’s basically a yes.”

An hour passed like five minutes.

By the time they paused, CJ was flipping through Kim’s notebook, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Whoa,” he said, pointing. “What’s this?”

Kim reached to take it back, but CJ held it up.

“‘Favorite Films List’? Let’s see… 10 Things I Hate About You, To All The Boys, Crazy Rich Asians…” He looked up, eyes wide. “Wait. You like romcoms?”

Kim gave him a small glare. “So?”

“You? Miss Planner? Ice Queen of the Honor Roll? Likes cheesy love stories?”

She snatched the notebook back, cheeks pink. “They’re not cheesy. They’re comforting. And predictable. And... nice.”

CJ grinned. “That’s adorable.”

“I didn’t say it was adorable. I said it was—wait, I mean—ugh.” Kim turned back to her laptop quickly.

He leaned on the table, chin in hand. “You just got way more interesting.”

Kim didn’t reply, but CJ noticed she was typing faster than usual—probably trying to ignore the way her ears had gone red.

A few minutes later, as Kim worked, CJ pulled out his own worn-out notebook. He hesitated—then flipped to a page filled with messy lyrics and half-rhymed lines.

Kim noticed.

“What’s that?”

CJ looked like he might deflect with a joke, but didn’t. “Lyrics. I write songs. Mostly trash.”

She blinked. “You write music?”

He shrugged. “Kinda. I just… I don’t know. Helps me get stuff out of my head, y’know?”

Kim looked at the page, surprised. It was messy, sure—but real.

“Do you ever show anyone?”

CJ closed the notebook. “Nah. People expect me to be the clown. It’s easier.”

For a moment, they just sat in silence. No teasing. No jokes. Just… getting it.

As they packed up to leave, Kim hesitated, then said, “CJ?”

“Yeah?”

“I liked what I saw. In the notebook.”

CJ blinked. “You… liked my lyrics?”

She nodded. “They’re not trash.”

He grinned, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Well, don’t say that too loud. You’re ruining my brand.”

Kim smiled—an actual, real smile.

“See you tomorrow?” she asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said.

And this time, he actually meant it.