Chapter 22: Absolutely Not
800 Words
The first thing Ava did after class was reject Ethan Blackwood.
Not politely.
Not professionally.
Immediately.
"Absolutely not."
The words left her mouth before she'd even finished packing her bag.
Around the classroom, students suddenly became very interested in staying late.
Nobody wanted to miss this.
Especially after yesterday's pairing announcement.
Ethan looked up from his desk.
"Good."
Ava blinked.
"Good?"
"I was about to say the same thing."
A few students started laughing.
Ava frowned.
"Excuse me?"
Ethan slung his bag over his shoulder.
"I don't want to work with you either."
"Great."
"Great."
They stared at each other.
Neither willing to back down.
Around them, phones quietly appeared.
Kingsley students were shameless.
---
"You're impossible."
Ava folded her arms.
"I'm impossible?"
"Yes."
Ethan pointed at her.
"You argue about everything."
Ava looked offended.
"I do not."
The classroom burst out laughing.
Even Ethan looked amused.
Which only made Ava angrier.
"What's funny?"
Noah nearly choked.
"Nothing."
"It was definitely something."
"It was the fact that you argued while saying you don't argue."
Ava opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Then opened it again.
"That's not the point."
The laughter got louder.
---
Liam was enjoying himself far too much.
"This is better than television."
"It really is," Noah agreed.
Jace looked up from his book.
"They haven't even started the project yet."
"Exactly."
Liam grinned.
"We're witnessing history."
Ava pointed at all three of them.
"You're not helping."
"We're not trying to."
---
Ethan turned back toward her.
"Look, let's make this simple."
"Wonderful. I love simple."
"We ask for new partners."
Ava immediately nodded.
"Finally. A good idea."
For the first time all day, they agreed on something.
Unfortunately, their teacher chose that exact moment to walk back into the classroom.
The universe clearly hated them.
---
"Ma'am."
The teacher paused.
Already suspicious.
"What is it?"
Ava and Ethan exchanged a glance.
Then spoke at the same time.
"We want new partners."
The teacher sighed.
A long, tired sigh.
The kind teachers developed after years of dealing with teenagers.
"No."
Ava blinked.
"No?"
"No."
Ethan frowned.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
The teacher picked up a stack of papers.
"The answer is no."
---
"But we can't work together."
"Why?"
Ava immediately had several answers.
Too many.
The problem was none of them sounded reasonable.
Because saying he annoys me every day wasn't exactly a professional argument.
Ethan apparently had the same issue.
The teacher waited.
Neither spoke.
Exactly.
---
The teacher shook her head.
"I don't care whether you're friends."
"We aren't."
"I know."
"I really need you to understand that."
The teacher ignored Ethan.
"The project remains the same."
Ava felt a headache forming.
"This isn't fair."
"Life isn't fair."
"I hate when teachers say that."
"I know."
---
The teacher placed the papers on her desk and looked directly at them.
"Perhaps I should explain something."
The room became quiet.
Even Liam stopped smiling.
That was concerning.
"The project is worth thirty percent of your final grade."
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The teacher continued.
"If the project fails, both partners lose marks."
Ava's stomach dropped.
Beside her, Ethan's expression changed too.
Not much.
Just enough.
"Both?"
The teacher nodded.
"Both."
---
Suddenly the situation felt less funny.
Thirty percent.
Not ten.
Not five.
Thirty.
Ava immediately thought about her scholarship.
About her grades.
About everything she'd worked for.
Failure wasn't an option.
It couldn't be.
Across the room, Ethan looked equally unhappy.
For different reasons perhaps.
But unhappy all the same.
---
The teacher folded her arms.
"So."
Silence.
"If one person refuses to cooperate, both suffer."
More silence.
"Do you understand?"
Ava nodded reluctantly.
Ethan did the same.
Neither looked pleased.
---
The teacher smiled.
"There we go."
Ava didn't trust that smile.
Not one bit.
"Now, if you're finished trying to escape your responsibilities, I'd suggest you start planning."
With that, she left.
Leaving them alone.
Again.
---
The classroom slowly emptied.
Students gathered their things and headed for the door.
Most looked disappointed that the argument was over.
Liam wasn't one of them.
He was still smiling.
"Well."
Ava narrowed her eyes.
"What?"
"You two are stuck together."
Noah laughed.
"For two whole months."
Jace stood and grabbed his bag.
"My condolences."
---
One by one, they left.
Until only Ava and Ethan remained.
The room felt strangely quiet now.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
Finally, Ava sighed.
A very long sigh.
Ethan sighed too.
Almost at the same time.
For a second, they looked at each other.
Then immediately looked away.
Because the truth was obvious.
Painfully obvious.
Terribly obvious.
They didn't want to work together.
They didn't trust each other.
And they definitely didn't like each other.
But none of that mattered.
Because for the next two months...
They had no choice.
- Writer
