His Only Exception

Unwanted Partners

I turn on my phone before chemistry and call home to check on Elara. Nadia answers sounding exhausted.



Apparently Elara wasn't happy with lunch and decided to send her yogurt bowl flying across the kitchen floor in protest. I close my eyes for a second and rub my forehead. Of course she did. Was it really too much to hope my mother would take one day away from her social events and actually help Nadia settle in? Summer was over now, and I couldn't keep stepping in every time things became difficult. 



I wasn't there anymore to smooth things over whenever a caregiver felt overwhelmed. I should be focused on school. Getting into Northshore University was the goal. It was close enough to home that I could still be there for Elara when she needed me. 



After giving Nadia a few suggestions and promising I'd check in later, I take a breath, force a smile onto my face, and head into chemistry. "Hey, babe. Saved you a seat," Colin says, motioning toward the stool beside him. The room is arranged with rows of tall lab tables, two seats at each station. Perfect. I thought things between Colin and me would finally feel normal again after summer, and now we'd even be lab partners for the year. 



Feeling slightly ridiculous for doubting us, I slide into the stool and pull out my chemistry book. "Yo, Reyes is in our class!" someone shouts from the back. "Adrian, over here!" I try not to stare as Adrian greets his friends with shoulder bumps and handshakes that look more complicated than actual choreography. 



The second he walks in, people notice. Even the ones pretending not to. "I heard he got arrested over the summer," Colin whispers beside me. "No way." He raises his brows. "Way." I stare ahead. Rumors about Adrian Reyes seem to spread faster than anything else in school. Every week it's something new. Fighting. Trouble. Police. Something illegal. 



Ms. Kline closes the classroom door with a sharp bang and every head turns forward. She stands near her desk with a folder tucked beneath her arm, light brown hair pulled back into a neat ponytail and her usual serious expression fixed in place. She's probably still young, but nobody would ever guess it with the way she carries herself. "Good afternoon and welcome to senior chemistry." She sits on the edge of her desk. "I appreciate that you've all picked your own seats, but I'll be assigning them alphabetically." Groans echo around the room. Ms. Kline ignores every single one. 



"Colin Adams," she calls. "First seat. Your partner is SierraQuinn. " Sierra gives me an apologetic smile before sliding beside Colin. 



One by one students shift around the room with varying levels of annoyance. "Brielle Hart." I drag myself toward my assigned seat. 



"Adrian Reyes." No. Absolutely not. My eyes widen. Of all people. For the entire year? I shoot Colin a desperate look while lowering myself into the seat. I should've stayed home. 



Under blankets. Forever. "I go by Adrian," he says casually. Ms. Kline glances up. "Adrian Reyes then." She adjusts her paper. "Mr. Reyes, remove the band around your wrist. I have a strict policy regarding anything that could create problems in this classroom. 



Principal Navarro fully supports it. Am I clear?" Adrian stares at her for a few seconds before pulling the band off. Dark hair falls slightly over his forehead as he leans back in his chair. "Probably hiding something under there," Colin mutters to Sierra. I hear it. Adrian hears it too. His eyes harden instantly. "Say that again." "Enough," Ms. Kline cuts in sharply before things escalate. "Adrian, sit down. Colin, that's enough from you too. 



I don't care what happens outside this classroom. In here, I run things." Adrian leans back lazily. "Got it." Ms. Kline continues down the attendance list while I stare very hard at my notebook and avoid looking beside me. 



"This sucks," Adrian mutters under his breath. His voice is low and rough and irritatingly distracting. How exactly am I supposed to explain this to my mother? Somehow she'd probably blame me for it. 



I glance over at Colin laughing with Sierra and jealousy twists in my stomach. Why couldn't my last name have started with A? Or literally anything else? There should be a universal reset button for horrible days. A do over button where everything restarts and you get another chance. Today definitely qualifies. 



Does Ms. Kline honestly think pairing me with the guy everyone avoids is a good idea? Completely insane. "I know seniors think they already know everything," Ms. Kline says once seating is finished. "But success isn't about popularity or money. Success means contributing something meaningful to the world." Adrian raises his hand. Of course he does. Ms. Kline sighs. "Yes, Adrian?" "So you're saying rich people aren't successful?" A few students laugh. "I'm saying money isn't everything," she answers calmly. "Use your mind to help people.



Then you've accomplished something worth talking about." Adrian smirks. "I've got things worth talking about." Ms. Kline holds up a hand. "Let's keep those stories to yourself." I shake my head. Great. My partner was already on her radar and class had barely started. "Now," Ms. Kline says, "look at the person sitting next to you." Absolutely not. I glance toward Colin instead, who seems perfectly happy with his assignment. 



Meanwhile I feel like the universe personally hates me. "You'll be working with your partner for the next ten months," Ms. Kline continues. 



"Take five minutes and get to know each other." Wonderful. I pull out my notebook and shove it toward Adrian. "Write things about yourself down. It'll be easier." Adrian takes it, and for a second I swear I see the corner of his mouth lift slightly. Then he hands me his notebook and starts writing. A few minutes later Ms. Kline tells everyone to stop. 



"This is Sierra Quinn," Colin starts confidently. I don't hear anything after that. Because I just opened Adrian's notebook. And suddenly I'm staring at the page in complete shock.