It was a quiet afternoon in art class—the sun spilling softly through the wide windows, casting golden light on half-finished sketches and open paint jars. The teacher stood at the front, holding a clipboard.

"Alright, class. For your next project, you'll be working in pairs," she said. A wave of whispers and quiet excitement spread through the room. "I'll be assigning partners randomly."

You glanced toward your crush, who just happened to look back at you at the same time. Your heart skipped. Just a small chance… maybe…

"And you, you'll be with… Ravendra Bramasta."

You blinked. Wait—what? You looked at the teacher in disbelief just as Ravendra let out a dramatic sigh from across the room.

"Seriously, Miss?" he said, feigning horror. “Can’t you pair me with literally anyone else?”

The teacher raised a brow. “You’ll manage, Ravendra.”

You crossed your arms. “This has to be a joke. I was right there next to—” you glanced at your crush who gave you a small, awkward shrug and an apologetic smile.

Before you could even add another word, Ravendra dragged his chair loudly across the floor, sitting beside you with a dramatic thud. “Look, I don’t like this either,” he muttered under his breath. “But if we’re doing this, we’re getting an A.”