Assigned Together
727 Words
The next morning, Elena woke to the sound of her alarm.
7:00 a.m.
She rubbed her eyes and reached for her phone.
There was already a message waiting for her.
❤️ Ethan
Good morning, beautiful. Hope you have an amazing day. Don’t forget to eat breakfast. I love you.
A smile spread across her face.
She quickly replied.
Good morning. I promise. I love you too. ❤️
She placed the phone on her bed and got ready for class.
Across the room, Chloe peeked over her pillow.
“You’re smiling already.”
Elena laughed.
“Ethan texted.”
“I need a boyfriend.”
“You need to get out of bed first.”
Chloe threw a pillow at her.
An hour later…
Professor Andrews entered the Introduction to Psychology lecture hall.
“Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning, Professor.”
“This semester, you’ll be working in pairs on a research project worth thirty percent of your final grade.”
Groans echoed through the classroom.
Professor Andrews ignored them.
“I’ve already assigned the partners.”
Students immediately became nervous.
Elena quietly hoped she would get someone responsible.
The professor began reading names.
“…Mia Collins and Jason Brooks.”
“…Noah Walker and Lily Grant.”
Then—
“…Elena Carter…”
She looked up.
“…and Damian Cross.”
The room fell silent.
Chloe’s mouth fell open.
Across the room, Damian slowly lifted his head.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Looks like luck is finally on my side.
Professor Andrews continued.
“You’ll meet your partners after class and exchange contact information.”
When the lecture ended, students gathered around their partners.
Elena took a deep breath before walking over.
“Looks like we’re partners.”
Damian smiled.
“Looks like it.”
“I hope you don’t mind.”
He laughed softly.
“I was going to say the same thing.”
She smiled.
For a moment…
Neither of them spoke.
Finally, Damian broke the silence.
“We should exchange numbers.”
“Of course.”
They swapped phones and saved each other’s contacts.
As Damian handed her phone back, he noticed Ethan’s wallpaper again.
The smiling couple.
His chest tightened.
“So…”
Elena slipped her phone into her bag.
“When should we start the project?”
“How about tomorrow after class?”
She thought for a second.
“I can’t tomorrow.”
“Busy?”
“I’m meeting my boyfriend.”
She answered naturally.
Without hesitation.
Without trying to make Damian jealous.
She was simply telling the truth.
Damian forced a smile.
“Then Friday?”
“Friday works.”
“Library?”
“Perfect.”
She smiled.
“I’ll see you then.”
Before she could leave, Professor Andrews called out.
“Mr. Cross.”
Damian turned around.
“Yes, Professor?”
“Take good care of your partner.”
“I will.”
Elena smiled politely.
“Bye, Damian.”
“See you, Elena.”
She walked away.
Damian watched her disappear into the crowd.
Ryan appeared beside him a second later.
“You got paired together?”
Damian nodded.
Ryan grinned.
“The universe wants you to win.”
Damian didn’t answer.
Instead…
He looked down at the contact she’d just saved.
Elena Carter 📚
He should have been celebrating.
Instead, one thought kept replaying in his mind.
“I’m meeting my boyfriend.”
For the first time…
The bet felt less like a game and more like a challenge he wasn’t sure he wanted to win.
That evening…
Elena sat in the courtyard, talking to Ethan on a video call.
“I wish I could see your campus in person,” Ethan said.
“You will on Saturday.”
He smiled.
“I already can’t wait.”
As they laughed together, Damian rode past on his motorcycle.
He slowed for a brief moment.
He saw Elena smiling at her phone.
He didn’t need to hear the conversation to know who she was talking to.
His grip tightened on the handlebars.
Then he rode away.
Elena never noticed him.
But Damian couldn’t stop thinking about her.
For the first time in years…
He wasn’t trying to figure out how to make a girl like him.
He was wondering why he cared that she already belonged to someone else.
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