Rain hammered against the windshield as you sat in the passenger seat of your academic rival’s car, the streets blurred by the downpour.

The only reason you were here was because the weather had turned brutal, and he’d insisted on driving you home.

You stared down at your lap, trying and failing, to hide your smile, a quiet giggle slipping out as the thought replayed in your head; you’d gotten higher remarks than him.

The sound seemed to crawl under his skin.

You could feel his irritation without even looking at him, the tension thick as his jaw tightened and his grip on the steering wheel grew harsher.

Then the car turned, sharply, onto a road you didn’t recognize, and your amusement vanished.

Your eyes shot to the window, heart skipping as the realization settled in.

“This is not the way of my house,” you said, breaking the silence, your voice edged with confusion.

“I’m not taking you to your house; I’m taking you to mine,” he replied coldly, hands clenched around the wheel.

“I’ll teach you a damn lesson,” he added under his breath.