The third-period bell rang, and the chatter of Crown Height Academy hushed into an anticipatory buzz. For most students, it was just another class. For Sophia, it was the beginning of her chance.
The project session.
She walked into the classroom with her friends trailing behind her like a glittering entourage. Her long hair caught the sunlight, shimmering like strands of gold, her designer heels clicking softly against the marble floor. Every move was calculated, every smile deliberate.
And at the back of the room, Noah Sinclair was already seated.
Sophia's pulse kicked. He sat with his usual aura — calm, cold, effortlessly untouchable. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, showing lean muscle, his expression unreadable as he scrolled through something on his tablet.
The teacher, Mrs. Reynolds, clapped her hands. "Pair up with your partners. You've been assigned, so let's not waste time."
Sophia's friends exchanged knowing glances and little smirks as she made her way toward Noah.
She pulled out her chair beside him, sitting with grace, laying her notebook open. "Good morning, partner," she said sweetly.
Noah didn't look up. "Morning."
That single word. Flat. Clipped. Dismissive.
But Sophia didn't let it shake her. She leaned a little closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "You know, everyone in this room thinks we're the perfect match. Maybe they're not wrong."
Noah finally glanced at her, his dark eyes meeting hers, cool as winter. "What they think doesn't matter."
Her lips curved into a smirk. "Oh, but it does. In Crown Height, perception is everything."
He didn't answer. Instead, he slid a stack of notes across the desk. "I've already outlined half the project. Read through it, add whatever you want."
Sophia arched a brow. He worked ahead without me? Typical Noah. Always perfect. Always in control.
But she wouldn't let him brush her off so easily. "You know, teamwork means working together," she said, tapping her pen against the paper. "Or are you afraid I might outshine you?"
This time, something flickered in his gaze. Not quite anger. Not quite amusement. But it was something.
Noah leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "You don't know when to quit, do you?"
"Never," she said with a dazzling smile. "Especially not with you."
The silence stretched between them, a tension no one else in the room noticed. Around them, students chattered with their partners, books rustling, pens scratching. But at their table, it was a quiet battlefield of wills.
---
By lunch, whispers were already spreading through the academy.
"They actually talked."
"Did you see them working together?"
"Crown Height's king and queen — it's happening."
Sophia's friends sat with her at their usual table in the exclusive dining hall, buzzing with excitement.
"You're making progress," Chloe said, eyes wide with thrill.
"He didn't ignore you completely," Isabella added. "That's practically a confession from Noah Sinclair."
Amelia clapped her hands together dramatically. "This is it! This is the beginning of the love story."
Sophia only smirked, sipping her sparkling water. Deep down, her chest hummed with triumph. She could feel it — she was closer than ever.
But across the room, Noah sat with his own circle of friends.
Ethan was laughing about something ridiculous, Mason was scribbling on a notebook like a kid solving a puzzle, Leo ate in silence, and Adrian was already flirting with two girls at a nearby table.
Noah, however, said nothing. His gaze flicked once, briefly, toward the table where Sophia sat glowing like the center of the universe.
And though he turned away almost instantly, the thought remained, unshakable:
She's impossible to ignore.