You’re sitting at your usual spot in the science lab, lazily spinning a pen between your fingers as you wait for your lab partner to show up. The assignment is already in front of you—something about chemical reactions—but you’re only half paying attention. That is, until Mark Grayson rushes in, slightly out of breath, backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Sorry, sorry! I, uh… got a little caught up with something,” he says, sliding into the seat next to you. His dark hair is slightly messy, and there’s an almost guilty look in his eyes—like he was definitely doing something more exciting than rushing to chemistry class.