Whispers in the Dark.

Chapter One: The Assignment

I wasn’t supposed to notice him.

Jace Miller walked through the halls like a storm ,loud boots, black hoodie, no books, and a smirk that made every teacher sigh before they even called his name. He wasn’t the kind of guy you talked to unless you were ready to ruin your reputation.

And I definitely wasn’t.

So when Mrs. Rivers said “Lena Carter and Jace Miller, you’ll be working together on the American Lit project,” I felt the oxygen leave the room.

The class murmured. Jace leaned back in his chair, tilting it dangerously on two legs, and raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that, Teach?”

Mrs. Rivers didn’t blink. “Positive. Due in two weeks. You’ll need to meet outside of class.”

Outside of class. That meant… personal time. My dad would freak.

When the bell rang, I packed my books fast, hoping he wouldn’t say anything. But as I stepped into the hall, he was already leaning against the locker next to mine.

“You gonna survive working with the school’s most wanted?” he asked, his voice smooth, mocking. But something in his eyes was… curious.

“I’ll manage,” I said, clutching my books tighter.

He laughed. “I bet you will, Carter.”

And just like that, the line between good and bad began to blur.