I admit the way I screamed no in my mind was a bit dramatic.

But if there's one thing I hate, it's drawing attention, and Kiaan would do just that. Kiaan is synonymous with attention.

Kiaan is attention.

I don't want that. Attention comes with a lot of baggage.
I try very hard to stay under the radar. Experience and common sense taught me that. Now I know my name will float around the school for a while.

Or until the next big thing comes up. Maybe I could avoid this. If I run home now, pack my things, and board a flight to Africa, then change my name to Iman.

No.
Omaira

Yh...there's no escaping thing this.

This could make or break my year because one wrong move and the whole school hates me.

Someone nudged me, snapping me out of my thoughts to find that I had been standing and staring at Kiaan for God-knows-how-long.

"Hey"

Nothing.

He said nothing.

"Oh. Kayy''

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mr. Williams walk out of the class and made a beeline for him.

"Mr. Williams, Mr. Williams"

"No exceptions," he said without stopping "You can't change partners"

I ran to cut him off. He paused and looked at me impatiently.

Where are persuasive skills when you need them?

"You can't understand sir, please just do this for me, I beg you"

"If I do this for you, then I'll do this for everyone who tells me to. I do understand. I didn't do this for convenience. I did it to promote cooperation and teach you to be able to work and succeed no matter who or what you're working with. Life isn't always about getting what you want. Sometimes, you have to make do with what you have"

I stood there dumbfounded as he walked away.

***      ***     ***     ***     ***

Did I mention something about making this work?

I didn't? Good.
Because one thing my situation isn't doing is working out.

For one thing, I don't know what to do and I'm freaking out because I'm freaking out. I don't know what to do.

What do I do?

As I came out of class, long after the bell had rung for closing, I was heading to my locker before I went home with Sofia. I met a particular set of girls they call the clingers, obsessed fashionistas, gold-digging wannabes.

Okay, only I call them that.

For short, I call them lollipops. They are the highest-ranking shameless girls you'll find in the school. They have no sincere emotional capabilities and just fake everything.

Fiona is the leader of the trio, and also the leader of the "Kiaan, Aidan, and Arden" fan club. She is Kiaan's girlfriend. The only problem with that is that Kiaan has never had a girlfriend.

Flings, yes. Girlfriends, no.

But where did her girlfriend-ness come from?

Her broken head.

To her, she believes she is the reason Kiaan doesn't have a girlfriend.

Well, except her of course.

No one knows why Kiaan never had a girlfriend, though the same can't be said for Aiden and Arden. They change girlfriends like I change my mind about the decisions I make.

And the other two are Diana and Selena. They're known for dating top guys or rather, their names. They never miss an opportunity to announce to the whole school who they're dating and boast to other vain, attention-seeking girls.

They walked directly towards me, obstructing my path.

"Excuse me," I said politely.

"Excuse you?"

Yeah! I think that's what I just said.

"Look here sticky hands, Kiaan is not up for grabs, he is mine and only mine, If you think because you were chosen as his partner you get a chance, then you're wrong. Kiaan only has eyes for me and me alone.
The day I see you try and get close to him, I'll break your fingers and shove them up to your ass. Am I gotten?''

Talk about insecurity.

"Yes"

"Is she gotten?" Twiddle-dee and twiddle-dumb simultaneously repeated.

I said yes, didn't I?

"Yes"

"You got that right," she said and they left.

Now you're probably wondering why I didn't talk back and all that stuff.
The thing is, all the sassing and crazy talking happens up here.

In my head.

I'm only a mean badass in my thoughts. Sofia is the person I can't be, the one who stands up and fights for herself and me.

***     ***      ***      ***     ***
"The next time I see those dumb bitches, oh, there'll be blood. There will be blood."

I knew this would be her reaction that was why I waited till we got home before I told her. She was staying for a while.

"It's okay really, I knew this would be one of the problems I'll face with Kiaan as my partner and there's nothing I can do about it." I sighed.

"Hey," she said rubbing my back "it'll be alright, I'll be here for you."

I know.

It's been a day since the project was assigned and I had spare after the first period today and so did Sofia. When the class ended, I went out to meet Sofia, we were going to eat outside the school when I saw Kiaan coming.
I wondered if I should stop and talk to him. After all, we were partners.

"Hey" he didn't reply but he stopped and looked at me.

Rude.

"About the project..."

"I'll take care of it" he replied and began to walk away.

"I was just thinking that..."

"What part of I'll take care of it, don't you understand?" He said very slowly. You know, like people do when they're talking to someone dumb.

Seriously?

"All of it. Where in that statement does Leena come in because from what I know, she is your partner" Sofia's voice became louder as she walked past me and went to stand in front of his face.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I think being partners means working together so you can't just stand there and treat her like this. I don't care who the hell you think you are, she is my friend and no one gets to treat her as they please."

That vein looked like it was going to pop out of her head.

He didn't even seem affected all he did was that one-shoulder shrug guys do and said.

"Public Library at 4, weekdays. Weekends, 10. 2 hours"

If you didn't get what he said, he said "we meet at the public library at 4 p.m every weekday and 10 a.m on weekends. We spend two hours every day".

Apparently, I'm fluent in non-talk. Or what I'd begin to know as Kiaan-talk.

We walked till we got to her car before I decided to talk and break the silence.

"Why did you do that?"

"You're welcome for helping your ass."

"You know I could've handled it by myself"

"And how would you have done that, by standing there allowing him to do that to you."

We opened the car, entered and she drove off.

"Thank you."

"Anytime'

Guess I'll meet him at  4 then.

I came early to the library. I wanted to read before he came. So I picked a romance novel to read, because duh. I was so engrossed that I didn't know anyone was beside me, I heard someone clearing his throat, and I looked to see him sitting in front of me.

"Hey!" I merrily said.

Nothing.

I'm kinda expecting the silence now. Weird, I know.

We stood to go look for books that could provide useful information. I just started picking random books I thought would be useful. When I was satisfied with what I had picked, I went back to our seats.

I don't know how it happened or what caused it but on reaching the table, I tripped and all the books came flying and crashed on the unfortunate Kiaan who happened to arrive at the table at the same time I tripped.

"Are you blind?" He said in what is becoming a characteristic calm voice.

I don't think he has ever raised his voice or spoken more than what is necessary.

"I'm sorry"

I bent to pick up my books when I saw him bending too, I looked at him surprised.

Is he helping me?

No. He was not.

Because he picked only two books which I guessed must have fallen from his hand when the books fell on him.

Jerk!

When I placed the books on the table and sat down, he looked at them with a raised eyebrow then he looked at me.

I shrugged.

He brought out his phone and showed me Google's homepage.

I nodded, understanding what he meant.

He looked at me again and then at my bag.

"Yes, I brought my laptop"

I don't even know how I keep getting what he's trying to say.

"I'll markdown pages, and you'll type them. Whatever I find online I'll send it to you and you'll also type it. We'll edit later."

He started flicking through the pages of his book and I worked hard glaring a hole into his head. Although, the view isn't at all bad.
He looked up and found me glaring. He sighed and looked through my pile of books and removed and gave me.

"Read and show me anything worth typing you find" I nodded and began.

Soon, I began to feel sleepy. I shook my head multiple times but I still saw myself dozing after a while each time and the next thing I know I jolted awake when a sound interrupted my sleep.

Oh my God, I was sleeping.

That's not even half as bad as the spit dripping down my chin which I self-consciously cleaned.

And the award for biggest idiot of the year goes to... the one, the only... Leena Thanh.

But he just sat there looking at me. His look is as indiscernible as ever. I heard the chair scrape the floor and watched as he stood up, getting prepared to leave. I wanted to ask why he was leaving, though I wouldn't blame him - I would leave myself, then thought better of it and checked the time.

6:10

"Bye," I said
He just walked away.

A/N: Namaste, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it. In case, you find the beginning of this chapter confusing, I added it to the last chapter so I suggest you read it. I'm sorry if this info is coming to you at a late time.
There's something I failed to mention in my bogus author's note at the beginning. English is not my first language though it is the official language of my country.
I advise listening to 'Stuck with you' by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. I think it fits this chapter except for the part about wanting to stay together.
Till next time.
Me.