An hour was almost up, and freedom was so close I could taste it. I just had to survive a few more minutes of this class, then I could finally escape the perilous situation I found myself in.
I was ready to bolt and had already packed my stuff when the teacher, bless her soul, dropped a bombshell that shattered my sweet, sweet escape plans.
“I know this is your first day in college, but that doesn’t mean I won’t assign you work. I’m giving you an assignment, and since it’s the first day, you’ll partner with your seatmate. Got it? That’s all.”
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt my heart sink right into my shoes. The last thing I needed was to be partnered up with someone I barely knew—especially not the guy sitting next to me, who was practically a magnet for attention.
A shiver ran down my spine as the air seemed to thicken with an icy tension.
When I glanced around, I was met with a sea of glaring eyes, each pair burning with a mix of jealousy and anger. It felt like their stares could pierce right through me, and the tension was almost suffocating.
Their expressions were a blend of clenched jaws and narrowed eyes, some girls crossing their arms as if to restrain themselves from lunging forward.
Others exchanged sharp whispers, their voices laced with irritation, while a few looked like they were barely holding back sneers. The whole room felt like a storm was brewing, and I was stuck right in the eye of it, facing the wrath of girls who seemed ready to pounce at any moment.
‘Ugh… Why? I didn’t even do anything wrong!’
I glanced at the professor one last time, hoping to say something, but before I could even open my mouth, she was already out the door, leaving me stranded in this hostile situation.
‘No! Ma’am! Don't leave, give us all the assignments you want, but why do our partners have to be our seatmates?!’
I shot a glance to my right and there he was—the guy who seemed to exude effortless charm with that laid-back expression. He was the type who could make heads turn just by breathing, and I had a sinking feeling his popularity came with a hoard of admirers.
He wasn’t just honey; he was like a whole flower garden attracting swarms of bees! And I was about to be right in the middle of it.
I could already picture the chaos. The girls would swarm around him like bees around a flower, each vying for his attention while I stood there like a complete outsider.
And let’s be real, I wasn’t looking to get stung by any stingers today. The thought of becoming the unwanted third wheel in this social circus made my skin crawl. Why was this happening to me?
‘What kind of luck is this?’
“Oh my... I’m so jealous,” Cyril whispered, leaning in with a mischievous grin.
“Getting a hot, ha~ndsome partner on the first day? What a blessing...!”
‘Blessing? Are you kidding me? My life expectancy just shortened because of this assignment, and you’re calling it a blessing?!’
I shot her an annoyed look, and she quickly backed off, hands up in mock surrender.
“O-Oh dear, would you look at the time? I, uh, need to rush to my next class...”
Under my death glare, she slinked away, mumbling excuses I could see right through.
‘Next class? We only have one class this morning, you liar!’
She hurried out of the room without looking back, leaving me behind.
I felt utterly betrayed—how could she just abandon me, surrounded by this swarm of jealous girls?
As a few students left, some girls stayed behind, still eyeing us with curious, lingering glances.
With others already leaving, I decided to make leave too. I grabbed my bag, took one last look at my so-called "partner," and headed for the door.
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