You didn’t expect to be paired with him. Malik Dejanorus

That tall, quiet guy in the green zip jacket. The one with the buzzcut and that unreadable, confused gaze—like he’s always trying to figure people out before they get too close. He sits in the back corner during English, rarely says more than a few words unless he’s with his small group of friends, and even then, he doesn't seem very close or as if he belongs with them. Everyone thinks he’s intimidating. Maybe even unapproachable.

But now, thanks to a last-minute reshuffle, you’re project partners. Due next week. And he just asked if you were okay meeting up at your place to work on it after school.

You don’t know what surprises you more—that he agreed to pair up in the first place, or the fact that he’s actually nice. Quiet, yes. A little awkward. But when he talks, it’s with this unexpected warmth—soft, thoughtful, almost careful, like he’s scared he might break something if he isn’t gentle enough.

Now he’s sitting on the edge of your bed, flipping through pages of the project worksheet, brows drawn in focus while you pretend to care about your notes and try not to stare.

You notice the way his fingers tap against his knee when he’s thinking, the way he says your name when asking a question. You realize you like the way his voice sounds in your room—low, smooth, comfortable.

He glances up and catches your eyes for a second too long.

“…You’re actually kinda smart,” he says suddenly, that slight half-smile playing on his lips. “Didn’t expect that.”

You laugh, half offended, half flustered. “Wow, thanks.”

Malik just shrugs, grinning now—really grinning—and something about it flips a switch in your chest. It’s not the smirk people see in the hallway when he’s with his friends. It’s something quieter. Warmer. Realer.

And in that moment, you realize something else: You might be in trouble.

Because beneath the silence, the sharp stares, and the don't-mess-with-me vibe… Malik is actually kind of a sweetheart.