Affinity Romance

“Kaye, hurry up!” “I’m running as fast as I can!” My breath comes in gasps as my legs struggle to keep up. She can’t blame me for being cursed with these useless sticks for legs. This has become our usual morning routine—me and my best friend, Fae, racing to beat the tardy bell. She’s already five steps ahead, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure I haven’t disappeared. The school rules strictly forbid running in the hallways, but desperate times call for desperate measures. We sprint past the janitor, who pretends not to notice two students blatantly breaking protocol. On the bright side, I’m definitely getting my daily cardio. Fae reaches the classroom door first, throwing it open. I stumble in beside her, panting heavily. Both of us turn apologetic smiles toward the teacher. “Sorry we’re late, Ma’am,” Fae says, trying to sound composed. “So nice of you to join us,” Mrs. Jonson replies, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Care to explain why you’re ten minutes late for my class?” I scratch the back of my neck, glancing at Fae for support. She responds with an elbow nudge that clearly says, *You’re up.* “Uh… the traffic was… um, really bad.” The excuse is so weak I feel Fae cringe beside me. She smacks her palm against her forehead, muttering something I’m sure isn’t flattering. Mrs. Jonson sighs, pointing at our seats. “Take your seats. Let’s continue. Today, we’re discussing evolution.” Relieved, I sink into my chair, dropping my bag beside me. Crisis averted. “We really need to fix our sleep schedule,” Fae mutters, pulling her wavy hair into a loose bun as she sits down. “Blame summer vacation,” I reply, leaning back and catching my breath. “If we keep this up, we’re going to fail.” “Mrs. Jonson is too sweet to fail anyone. When’s the last time you saw her raise her voice or gave anyone detention?” Fae gives me a knowing look. “You keep testing her patience, and karma’s going to bite you back.” I let out a dry laugh. “Karma can come at me anytime. I’m not scared.” “Girls,” Mrs. Jonson interrupts, her voice calm but firm. “Please keep your voices down while I’m teaching.” I give her an awkward smile. “Sorry. We’ll keep it down.” She resumes her lesson, explaining how humans evolved from apes millions of years ago. I nudge Fae. “See what I mean? She’s too nice for her own good.” “And you’re obviously taking advantage of it.” I open my mouth to protest but close it again. “Okay, fine. You might be right.” Fae smirks. “I’m always right.” Her victory is short-lived as the classroom door swings open again. A tall figure steps in. He has dark, ruffled black hair that nearly hides his eyes. Sunlight reflects off something dangling from his ears, catching my attention. Piercings. Wait, is that even allowed here? The room falls silent as Mrs. Jonson looks up from her lesson. The boy hands her a slip of paper, and she scans it before addressing the class. “Everyone, we have a new exchange student today. Would you like to introduce yourself?” “Cai Reagan,” he says. Goosebumps ripple through me. His voice is deep and smooth, like the ocean at midnight. There’s something about him—mysterious, almost familiar. The more I stare, the more I feel like I’ve seen him before. Whispers spread through the room like wildfire. I nudge Fae, my curiosity piqued. “Do you know him?” Fae’s head snaps toward me so fast I worry she’ll get whiplash. “What? Who *doesn’t* know him?” “Okay… what am I missing?” She leans closer, lowering her voice. “He’s notorious. There are rumors about him starting riots at his old school and constantly clashing with teachers. The only reason he gets into schools is because his parents are filthy rich—like *mega* rich. But he keeps getting expelled.” I raise an eyebrow. “And you know all this how?” Fae rolls her eyes. “Seriously, Kaye? Do you live under a rock?” “Maybe.” Mrs. Jonson raises a hand to quiet the murmuring students. “Settle down. Cai, you can take any empty seat.” Cai nods, his movements calm and deliberate as he strides to the empty desk beside us. “He’s really good-looking,” Fae murmurs, tapping her pen rhythmically against her notebook—a sure sign she’s distracted. The whispers around the room grow louder, full of compliments about Cai’s style, voice, and, of course, his looks. Now that he’s closer, I can see the silver chains dangling from his ears. There are more piercings than I first thought, and oddly enough, they suit him. “I feel like I’ve seen him before,” I mumble, narrowing my eyes as I try to place him. Fuzzy images surface in my mind, but none are clear. They all lead back to middle school for some reason. “Really? Where?” Fae asks, intrigued. “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just someone who looks like him,” I admit, second-guessing myself. “Probably,” Fae says, shrugging. “But keep an eye on him. Something tells me he’s not just here to blend in.” I glance at Cai again, who’s casually leaning back in his chair, completely unbothered by the stares. Maybe Fae’s right. Or maybe… he’s just another mystery waiting to unfold.