WNDR8142

Hate You, Need You

You have spent two years sharpening your hatred of Declan Mercer into something clean and useful — a rivalry that kept you first in every class he entered. Now the university has locked you in the same room for 72 hours to resolve a grade dispute neither of you actually wants resolved. The door clicks shut. The appeal form sits between you like a grenade. One of you has to speak first, and it is not going to be pretty.

Sit Next To Me

The professor just read the pair list out loud and the room went dead silent — because Rafferty Voss, the transfer student every person in this class has been watching since day one, got assigned to you. He is already turning his chair to face yours, unhurried, like he expected this. Elara Sinclair, your closest academic rival, is gripping her pen hard enough to whiten her knuckles. Milo Ashford, your best friend in the third row, is staring at Rafferty like he is calculating something dangerous. Six weeks. One project. One classroom. And three people who all want something from you that they have not said out loud yet.