The late summer sun filtered through the tall windows of Willow Creek High, throwing golden stripes across the polished desks. The hum of students settling into their seats filled the air, mixed with the faint scent of freshly sharpened pencils and waxed floors.
Aria Bennett sat quietly by the window, her notebook open and pens meticulously arranged in order of color. She liked first days—they smelled of possibility, of clean pages waiting for new stories. Her chestnut hair fell softly over her shoulder as she jotted down her schedule, completely unaware of the change that was about to enter her life.
"Class, settle down!" Mrs. Harper called. "We have a new student joining us today."
Heads turned toward the door.
The boy who stepped in immediately drew attention. He was tall, with black hair that refused to behave, storm-blue eyes that scanned the room like he owned it, and an air of casual indifference. His uniform was slightly disheveled—top button undone, sleeves rolled back—an attitude that suggested he did not care to follow rules.
Ethan Cross.
Mrs. Harper gestured toward the seats. "Ethan, you may sit next to Aria Bennett."
A low murmur ran through the classroom. Ethan's storm-blue eyes briefly met Aria's calm green ones as he dropped his bag with a soft thud and plopped down. He didn't acknowledge anyone, didn't smile, didn't even glance at the teacher again.
Aria forced a polite smile. "Hi, I'm Aria," she began softly.
"I know," Ethan said without looking at her. "Mrs. Harper just said it."
Aria blinked, caught off guard by his bluntness. Well, that's… rude, she thought, trying not to let it bother her.
Mrs. Harper continued with the roll call, but Aria couldn't focus. Something about him made the room feel heavier, more charged. She watched him tap his pencil impatiently, his expression tense, almost challenging the air itself.
Ethan's mind, however, was elsewhere. New school. New faces. Rules he didn't want to follow. But the girl beside him… she seemed different—quiet, composed, soft. He tried not to notice, but his eyes kept flicking toward her, observing her methodical movements with a faint flicker of curiosity.
She noticed.
Their eyes met for barely a heartbeat, and something unspoken passed between them—a spark, a challenge, a hint of fate that neither fully understood.
Mrs. Harper's voice broke through. "Ethan, since you're new, Aria will show you around the campus after class."
Aria's pen paused mid-sentence. Great. A tour with Mr. Rude.
Ethan exhaled softly. Perfect. Babysitting duty on day one.