Alexa's face burned with anger and determination. She marched over to Richard, her eyes fixed on the note on his shirt.
"Excuse me," she said, her voice icy. "But I think you dropped something."
Richard turned, a smirk on his face. "Oh, you mean this?" He plucked the note off his shirt and crumpled it in his hand. "Just a little motivation."
Alexa's eyes flashed. "You think you're funny, don't you?"
Richard shrugged. "I try."
Alexa's anger boiled over. "Well, let me tell you something, Richard. I'm not going down without a fight."
Richard's smirk grew wider. "I'm shaking in my boots."
Alexa's eyes narrowed. "You should be."
The tension between them was palpable, and the students around them began to stare.
Suddenly, the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. Alexa turned and stormed off, leaving Richard looking after her with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
But as Alexa walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that Richard was more than just a rival. He was a challenge, a puzzle she was determined to solve.
And she was just getting started.
