Chapter 10: The Project that Changed Everything
1167 Words
The announcement came in their Home Management class. Their professor, Mrs. Valdez, clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.
“For this semester, you will be working in pairs on a major project. You and your partner will create a comprehensive Household Management Plan, focusing on budgeting, time management, and problem-solving in real-life scenarios.”
A murmur spread across the room as students leaned in, hoping for a good pairing.
Mrs. Valdez smiled. “I’ve assigned the partners randomly.”
And then, she began reading the names.
“Josh Davis and Lorie Hudson.”
Josh and Lorie exchanged looks.
Josh smirked. “Well, this should be fun.”
Lorie grinned. “Yeah. As long as we don’t mess it up.”
They were happy—comfortable, even. But the moment Mrs. Valdez continued, their expressions changed.
“Dylan Harris and Hannah Carter.”
The room went silent.
And then—
“No way.” someone whispered.
Lorie’s head snapped toward Hannah, while Josh glanced at Dylan, their eyes mirroring the same thought.
This is bad.
---
After class, the room erupted into whispers.
“I need to see how this plays out.”
“Dylan and Hannah? They’re literally opposites!”
“Do you think they’ll fight the whole time?”
“Or… maybe something else will happen?”
The jealousy was immediate. Some girls glared at Hannah, already irritated that she had somehow landed a partnership with Dylan Harris.
Hannah sighed, massaging her temples. She wasn’t interested in the drama. But Lorie?
She was fuming.
“This is ridiculous,” Lorie muttered. “Why couldn’t you be my partner?”
“I guess we don’t have a choice,” Hannah said, trying to sound calm.
Lorie groaned. “Ugh, you are so lucky you’re my best friend, or I’d be annoyed at you too.”
Hannah shot her a confused look. “What?”
Lorie crossed her arms. “Have you seen how those girls are looking at you? You know Dylan is basically their dream guy, right?”
Hannah sighed again. “I don’t care about that.”
But Lorie did.
And across the room, Josh had similar thoughts.
He nudged Dylan. “Dude. You good?”
Dylan barely reacted. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Josh smirked. “I don’t know. Maybe because you got partnered with Hannah Carter?”
Dylan scoffed. “It’s just a project.”
Josh hummed. “Sure. Let’s see if you still say that by the end of this.”
---
The first few meetings were... strained.
Hannah and Dylan sat across from each other in the library, books and papers spread between them. They worked in silence—at least, they tried to.
Hannah was focused on writing notes when Dylan suddenly scoffed. “You’re seriously color-coding everything?”
She looked up, eyebrows raised. “Yes?”
Dylan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Why? Does it make you feel more holy?”
Hannah’s jaw tightened. “It makes things organized.”
Dylan smirked. “Sure. Or maybe you just need things to be perfect all the time.”
She inhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay calm. “I just like things to be clear. Unlike some people who probably think ‘winging it’ is a strategy.”
Dylan chuckled, shaking his head. “Relax, Carter. It’s just a project.”
Hannah exhaled, returning her attention to her notes. “If you don’t care about it, you can just sit there and let me do everything.”
Dylan’s smirk faded slightly. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then stop acting like this is a joke,” she said, voice quieter this time.
For a moment, Dylan didn’t respond.
Then, his gaze softened—just barely. “I don’t joke about everything.”
Hannah glanced at him, surprised by the shift in his tone. But before she could respond, Dylan looked away, tapping his pen against the table.
From across the room, Josh and Lorie exchanged looks.
“Did you see that?” Lorie whispered.
Josh grinned. “Oh, I saw everything.”
Lorie smirked. “They’re trying so hard not to strangle each other.”
Josh leaned on his elbow. “Or they’re trying so hard not to feel something.”
They watched as Dylan stole a glance at Hannah, only to quickly look away when she caught him.
Lorie raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
Josh hummed in agreement. “Very.”
---
Dylan was noticing things.
He couldn’t help it.
The way Hannah tucked her hair behind her ear when she was focused.
The way she bit her lip slightly while reading.
The way she absentmindedly twirled her pen while deep in thought.
And somehow, his gaze kept drifting toward her.
It made him angry.
Not at her.
At himself.
What was happening to him?
He never cared about Hannah Carter. Never wanted to care. If anything, she was the one person in this entire university he couldn’t stand. Her faith—her blind, unwavering faith—infuriated him the most.
She walked around like she had the answers to life, like everything made sense because she believed in something bigger than herself. And that? That was what made him grit his teeth.
Because he didn’t believe in anything.
And yet—
His eyes flicked to her again.
He swore under his breath.
This was ridiculous.
He didn’t like this. He didn’t like her.
And whatever strange feeling was creeping in whenever he caught himself staring? It needed to disappear.
Fast.
The sooner this project was over, the better.
“Hannah,” Dylan’s voice snapped her back.
She blinked. “What?”
She frowned. “You’re not even listening.”
Dylan cleared his throat. “I am.”
Hannah gave him a suspicious look but continued explaining their task.
----
His sharp eyes trailed the scene before him, unreadable.
The way Hannah pressed a hand to her forehead, exhaling deeply, made something flicker in his gaze. She was exhausted.
A moment later, he stood, stretching slightly before grabbing something from his bag.
The movement didn’t go unnoticed.
Several girls nearby giggled.
“Ugh, why is he so cool?”
“He’s seriously giving Dylan some competition.”
“Dylan isn’t the only handsome one here. Have you seen Terence too?”
Jack ignored the whispers, walking over to Hannah’s table. Without a word, he placed a bottle of energy drink in front of her.
Hannah blinked up at him. “Jack?”
Jack offered a small smile. “You looked tired.”
Hannah returned the smile. “Thank you.”
She didn’t notice the way Dylan stiffened at the interaction.
Didn’t see the way his grip tightened slightly on his pen.
Didn’t realize that, for the first time in his life, Dylan Harris was feeling something he couldn’t quite name.
Dylan clenched his jaw.
No.
This wasn’t interesting.
This was a problem.
And he had to end it before it became anything else.
- Writer
