As Mia delved into her essay, her frustration grew with each passing minute. The words wouldn't flow, her thoughts a tangled mess. She furrowed her brow in concentration, fingers hovering over the keyboard, struggling to articulate anything coherent. Beside her, Kris worked in unnerving silence, his pen scratching against the paper with meticulous, infuriating precision.
The minutes ticked by, each second adding to Mia's mounting anxiety. Her eyes darted to the clock on the wall with increasing frequency. Time was a luxury she didn't have, and she couldn't afford to miss her next commitment – James's basketball match, which would be starting soon. The detention was already a disaster; failing this essay and missing the game would be catastrophic.
Sensing her unease, Kris glanced up. His brow furrowed, a flicker of something that looked surprisingly like concern in his eyes.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle, cutting through her agitated silence.
Mia forced a tight smile, her nerves fraying. "I'm fine," she replied, her tone strained, clearly unconvincing even to herself. "Just trying to finish this before it's due. And," she hesitated, her gaze dropping to the clock, "I'm supposed to be somewhere else right now."
Kris's lips curved into a slow grin, his eyes twinkling with a familiar mischief. "Ah, the big game, right? James's grand performance." He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Looks like you're stuck, Brown. Three more hours."
Mia bristled. The smug satisfaction in his voice was unbearable. "Thanks for the reminder, Kris. As if I didn't know."
He chuckled, then surprised her again. "Or... I could help you out of this bind."
Mia's head snapped up. "Help? You? What's the catch, Windsor?"
"No catch," he said, pushing his essay towards her. "I've already finished mine. And I've read the book. I can help you hammer out this essay quickly, and then we can both get out of here ahead of schedule. Provided, of course, you're willing to cooperate."
Mia stared at him, dumbfounded. This was a completely unexpected olive branch. Or a very elaborate trap. Accepting help from Kris Windsor felt like admitting defeat. But as she glanced at the relentless clock once more, her resolve crumbled under the weight of impending deadlines and her desire to see James play.
"Okay," she relented, her voice tinged with reluctant gratitude. "But don't think this means I owe you anything, or that we're suddenly best friends."
Kris's grin widened. "Of course not, princess," he replied, his tone laced with teasing. "I'm just helping you out of the kindness of my heart. Now, tell me your main arguments for this essay."
Mia bristled at the nickname princess, but pushed aside her irritation. He was actually helping. And efficiently too. Guided by his sharp insights and quick reasoning, her essay took shape at an astonishing pace. He wasn't doing the work for her, but his strategic questions and prompts were exactly what she needed.
Finally, with a quick glance at his watch, Kris capped his pen. "There. Done. And we're getting out of here." He gathered his papers with a flourish. "Just follow my lead."
They gathered their belongings, Mia still reeling from the unexpected teamwork. Kris moved with practiced ease, approaching the librarian with a perfectly polite, subtly charming excuse about a "pre-arranged academic consultation" that needed them out early. To Mia's astonishment, the strict librarian, completely won over by Kris's smooth demeanor, simply nodded and waved them out.
As they slipped out of the library, into the late afternoon sun, Mia couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of her mind. Kris's sudden act of kindness felt profoundly out of character, his motives shrouded in mystery.
"Why did you do that?" Mia blurted out, unable to hold it in. "Help me with the essay, and then get us out of here?"
Kris shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Just felt like being petty," he replied, his gaze meeting hers with a taunting glint. "Besides, watching you struggle was getting boring. And I had somewhere to be too." He took a step away. "Don't worry about it, princess. I'm sure I'll find a way to collect someday."
He started to walk off in the opposite direction from the gym.
"Wait, where are you going?" Mia called out, surprised he wasn't heading to the basketball game.
Kris paused, turning back with a knowing look. "Oh, didn't you think there'd be a condition, princess?" His smirk widened. "I helped you get to James's game. Now, you owe me. You have to agree to meet me this weekend."
Mia's brow furrowed with suspicion. "Meet you? For what? What kind of weird plan do you have?"
Kris chuckled, a low, confident sound. "Don't worry about it. It'll be... an adventure. Just be ready for my call." He winked, then finally strode away, leaving Mia standing there, a mix of relief and growing apprehension.
She quickly headed towards the sports complex, her mind racing. The excitement of the impending game still pulled at her, but now, a new, unsettling current ran beneath it. A deal with Kris Windsor. What exactly had she just agreed to?