ANYA

"THE WINNER IS no one," as soon as Rachel finishes announcing the unforeseen result, a silence prevails in the clubroom. Within seconds, whispers are going round the room.

Levi seems just as confused as I am, as we turn to Rachel for the possible reasons.

Rachel calmly speaks into the mic, "The topic of the debate was—Has social media improved people's relationships? While I fully agree and must admit both Levi Auguste and Anya Saha had put up a wonderful debate filled with logical arguments, often the arguments, as I have already mentioned, lost the direction. And somewhere around the middle, the debate instead turned into the 'use of social media and its pros and cons'. Hence, this debate challenge has no winner."

Damn you, Levi Auguste. I had one perfect chance to bring down Levi but I lost it simply because I was trying to prove Levi's statements wrong. Had I not done that, I am confident I would've stayed on the right track. I hardly make any mistakes during debates, and this is the only rational explanation. Levi is the one to blame. Not me.

I cannot help but laugh in sarcastic humour seeing Levi so casual about what a joke this challenge turned out to be. He easily chatted with his admirers, even posing for some pictures because obviously having a pic with Levi Auguste is such a golden opportunity.

It's pathetically disgusting, so much so that I can puke on Levi's Balenciaga sneakers any moment now.

Levi winks and smirks at me deviously, just the way he likes that silently translates to, "Even now, I am being treated as the winner."

Throwing off a middle finger at him, I storm out the clubroom and into the hallways bustling with students and professors alike. I inhale and exhale, calming myself down. Right, the more I waste my time and energy on that ridiculous excuse of a human, the more I lose time for myself. The results of our finals next year will show who the real winner is, has been and will always be.

"Why the long face, sweetheart? Chill." He playfully bumps against my shoulder which is so not funny. "Both of us didn't win. You should be partying."

"Stop following me and mind your business."

"I am minding my business, you are just too obsessed with ruining my reputation." He smirks leaning close, his minty breath hitting my face, and oh how I wish it were rotten instead. The lovely chance to insult him is what I look for. "Or maybe, you are simply obsessed with me."

I laugh hysterically. "Are you aspiring to become a stand-up comedian soon? It would suit you, Levi."

"Very funny." Levi rolls his eyes. "But what about you having social media? Since when?"

"High school, but what's it to you?" I groan at the never-ending conversation.

"Nothing, just curious. And your username?"

"@bookswithanya," I answer without thinking.

Silence for a few seconds and I am this close to happily sighing in relief when my phone pings with a notification alert. I frown, fishing it out of my hoodie pocket and scroll down the notifications. There are emails, text messages, notifications from other apps, and then I find the most jaw-dropping, heart-thudding (out of anger), soul-snatching notification.

I have gained a new follower, adding up to my seventy-eight followers, in total. And it is none other than Levi fucking Auguste. That gorge—not gorgeous, but rather obnoxious profile picture of his muscular bare torso, in an indoor swimming pool while water is dripping down his caramel hair, face, abs—WHATEVER. The pic literally screams, Hey look, how hot I am. What a narcissist.

Clicking on his profile, I triple-check. The word 'follows you' under his profile pic dances in front of me. The 151K followers flashes right beside his profile pic.

"What the fuck is this?" I snarl shoving my phone into his ever-smirking face. What is there to smirk about always, anyway? It's like he even smirked in his mother's womb. Precisely, when he was just a lump of cells.

"If you can read, I am following you," Levi tauntingly states, "and you should feel blessed that the hundred people I'm following, one of them is you."

"Unfollow me. Now."

"How about a no? Besides, what is such a big deal about one follow? Too intimidating for a popular guy to follow you, hmm?"

"I will block you, Levi."

"You will not," Levi says as if he knows me. I'm worried he does. "You won't because that will make you a coward. And you wouldn't want that."

One of the universal truths is that enemies who work their (almost) entire life to hate, rise above and humiliate their respective enemies, know them best. Even better than their friends.

With clenching fists, I press the 'follow back' button and put my phone back inside. My stomping journey to the Psychology classroom continues once again. Damn it, why is it located so far away, as if in the depths of a never-ending hole.

When the hope that Levi has maybe finally stopped following me fills me up, because a nonchalant student like him prioritises his classes as much as I do, the hope comes out my throat and disappears just like that.

"Have you decided to stalk me now?" I snap after turning around a desolate corner which will lead to the designated classroom located at the other end of the corridor.

"Please Anya. The day I stalk you is the day I officially become a brain-dead zombie."

"Who says you aren't already?" I cross my arms.

"Or maybe." Levi drawls, leaning against a pillar, his tongue prodding his cheek and it's absolutely hateable how attractive the action is. Even to his arch-nemesis. "You are the one stalking me, Anya. I mean, I would understand if you did. You have always been obsessed with me, haven't you?"

"You are the one obsessed with ruining my life." I jab a finger at his chest, my eyes shooting invisible daggers. "Now tell me the reason you've been following me around."

Levi scoffs. "Don't give yourself too much credit, sweetheart. My destination is Psychology classroom, nothing else."

I frown. That couldn't be. I know Levi's interests and those definitely don't fall in any subject under Science. "You—wait, but you wanted—"

Levi glares at me for no reason, his jaw clenching. "You think you have me all figured out, don't you Anya? Well guess what, you do not."

"I was just asking because in high school—you know what? I couldn't care less." Seriously, what's his deal? "That being said, what are your majors and minors?"

"A major in Biology and minors in Psychology and Chemistry. And clubs I am in—for now only in Debate Club. Still need to choose two more."

I swallow a gulp. Shit. This is bad. So bad. Very bad. Extremely bad. The worst that could happen.

This fucking coincidence.

Levi widens his eyes in realisation and he doesn't seem too pleased either. "Don't tell me you are also..."

I reluctantly nod. Fucking great. So fucking great. Even though my major is Psychology, and minors are Biology and Chemistry, that doesn't change the fact we are still going to have the three classes together.

"Do not speak to me. Do not pretend you know me. Do not do anything that directly or indirectly affects me. Ignore my existence just how I will ignore yours."

"With pleasure, sweetheart," Levi mocks.

"And stop calling me that. Why do you even call me that?"

"Because, you are the exact opposite of the word," Levi says the words seemingly easily as he walks past me.

"You are so hateable, Levi Auguste!" My words bounce off the walls.

"Is that even a word?"

"Of course it is," I grumble, keeping up my pace with his longer strides, "And even if it weren't, it is a word reserved for you."

"What an honour, sweetheart."

* * *

IF COINCIDENCE WAS a person, I would've murdered them by now.

"For your very first Psychology class at HallWood University, the students I have partnered you up with will remain your partners till mid-semester. No requests to change partners. Am I clear?"

A synchronising 'yes' is heard from everyone, after Professor Theodore Rodriguez finishes speaking. No one dares to go against the strict professor's words. Getting on the bad side of Professor Rodriguez is like signing an official contract which states 'You will be getting no good grades if you put up with that attitude in my class'. Then again, similar to almost everyone, I feel a deep urge to plead to Professor Rodriguez. Why? Well...

Because he has made possible polar-opposite pairings. Either you have barely any encounters with your current partner, or you hate them (my situation). My question is, how the heck does Professor Rodriguez want us to work with our difficult partners, as we might as well just end up arguing every now and then.

I have no suspicions of him being an excellent Psychologist, particularly because Professor Rodriguez has contributed to several theories, thesis, articles, lectures, and many more in the Psychology field, and written books that are truly a gift to humanity and the world of Psychology. Nonetheless, he possesses a HUGE ego and doesn't like his decisions to be seconded by anyone.

I glance at my said partner who is busy buttering Professor Rodriguez. The professor has a smile on his face, as he chats on as if they are bosom friends. I know only one reason why this is happening. Professor Rodriguez is being complimented. Not empty ones but rather talks on his works.

What a nice play, Levi Auguste. The more I get to know him, the more I wish to strangle him.

"Professor Rodriguez, did I mention that your take on the difficulty of visualizing Quantum Concepts, even though your main field is Psychology, was absolutely remarkable," I hear Levi speaking.

What a disgusting lie.

Everyone in the Science field is aware that Theodore Rodriguez's article on the, as Levi has mentioned, difficulty of visualizing Quantum Concepts was absolutely horrible, disappointing and unexpected from a scholar like him. It was a hoax. Rubbish. Shame in the name of Science. There were weeks of criticising reviews published, a few days after the article had come out. But Professor Rodriguez remained determined on his written work, even though theoretically, practically, rationally, universally and in every manner, the article was nothing but a bunch of esoteric words that explained zero about the difficulty of visualizing Quantum Concepts.

In his primary field though, he is fine. Unbeatable even.

"You seem like an intelligent student," Professor Rodriguez pats Levi's back, who grins ear to ear, "I can see you becoming my favourite student. But don't tell that to anyone."

Bullshit.

"See that sweetheart? That's how you make a first impression," Levi smirks, sliding beside me.

"That's called buttering-up. But it shouldn't be a surprise for a people-pleasing guy like you."

"It's called playing a little politics. Non-harmful and you are doing this for yourself after all," Levi continues saying.

"Of course." I can't stop the bitter words from flowing out of my mouth, the memories of my sobbing, angry self, the award that should've been mine, the honour that I was deserving of, all being shattered by Levi Auguste.

"Just how you decided to steal the concept of my Biology project and use it as your own, right?"