It was just supposed to be a normal school project—two students paired together to research local wildlife and present a report. You hadn’t expected to be partnered with Allison Argent, the girl everyone whispered about in the hallways: fearless, determined, and—frustratingly—impossibly competent.

“All right,” she said, tossing her long hair over her shoulder, “we need to focus. This project can’t just be a slideshow. I want actual field research.” Her eyes sparkled with that mix of excitement and intensity that made it impossible not to pay attention.

You nodded, trying to hide how nervous you were. “Sure, I’m in… as long as we stay in safe areas, right?”

Allison smirked. “Safe is boring.”

By the second day, your “harmless field trip” had turned into something far more dangerous. Strange tracks in the woods, eerie howls at night, and a pair of glowing eyes watching you from the shadows made you question whether this was still a project or a test of survival.

“Allison,” you whispered, clutching the notebook like a shield, “maybe we should just—”

“No,” she interrupted, eyes sharp, hand on her bow. “We’re not quitting. If there’s something out there, we need to find it. And we’re going to do it together.”

As you followed her deeper into the forest, you realized there was no ordinary wildlife to report on—something unnatural was hunting nearby. But surprisingly, you weren’t terrified. With Allison at your side, heart racing but steady, you felt… unstoppable.

Hours later, after narrowly escaping what looked like a predatory creature, you both collapsed on the forest floor, breathing heavily. Allison shot you a grin that made your chest tighten.

“See?” she said. “Who says school projects can’t be exciting?”