The One I Wasn’t Supposed to Love

The moment the bell rang, I quickly packed my things and left the room without even glancing back. I knew Adrian was calling my name—his deep voice was hard to miss—but I pretended not to hear him. No way was I going to deal with his smug grin after sitting next to him for the entire class. Instead, I pulled out my phone and texted Liam. “Done with class. Coffee?” Within seconds, he replied: “On my way. Same spot?” A small smile tugged at my lips. At least Liam was my safe space after that chaotic first day. We met at the café just outside campus. The familiar aroma of roasted beans wrapped around me like comfort, and when Liam arrived, it felt like I could finally breathe again. “Rough day?” he asked, sliding into the seat across from me, his usual cool but slightly protective aura calming me down. “You have no idea,” I groaned, stirring my coffee aggressively. “Guess who ended up sitting beside me in BioChem?” His brows lifted in curiosity. “Adrian?” “Exactly! Of all people, it had to be your brother. He was so—ugh—annoying. Whispering comments, throwing smirks… like he was purposely trying to get on my nerves!” I ranted, earning a small chuckle from Liam. “Figures,” he said with a shrug. “That’s just Adrian. He lives to annoy people. Especially when he sees it works.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re not helping.” “Sorry, sorry,” he raised his hands in mock defense. Then he leaned forward, lowering his voice like he was about to confess a crime. “But to be fair… I didn’t have it easy either.” My eyes widened. “What do you mean?” He sighed heavily. “Alexis. She’s in my class. And apparently, she’s decided I’m her favorite new toy.” I almost spit out my coffee. “Wait—Alexis? As in tease-you-till-you-c***k Alexis?” “The very one.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking exasperated. “She keeps making comments, calling me ‘Mr. Serious,’ and some of our classmates even said we look good together.” I couldn’t help it—I burst out laughing. “Oh my gosh, Liam. You with Alexis? That’s—wow. No wonder you look like you want to flip a table.” He glared at me playfully. “Glad you’re enjoying my suffering.” We kept ranting like that, swapping complaints about our first day, until the frustration started to ease. By the time we got into Liam’s car, I was smiling again. He insisted on driving me home, as always—like my personal chauffeur. But the second we pulled up in front of my house, my good mood shattered. Because standing right there by the gate… was Adrian. “Seriously?!” I muttered under my breath, my grip tightening on my bag. Liam frowned. “What’s he doing here?” Adrian spotted us immediately, and of course, his lips curled into that infuriating smirk. The irritation in his eyes, though, didn’t escape me. “Well, well, well,” he drawled as we stepped out of the car. “Look at this. The two of you together again. Should I be jealous?” “Cut it out,” I snapped, rolling my eyes. “What are you even doing here?” He held up a neatly folded handkerchief. “You dropped this earlier in class. Thought I’d return it before you start crying over it.” I snatched it from his hand, cheeks warming. “I wasn’t going to cry.” “Sure,” he teased, tilting his head. “You’re welcome, by the way.” Before I could retort, Manang Lory opened the gate. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the boys. “Oh! Liam, Adrian! Perfect timing. Come inside, have dinner with us.” I immediately shook my head. “Manang—” But it was too late. Adrian had already stepped forward, acting like he owned the place. “Don’t mind if I do,” he said smoothly, sending me a wink that made me want to throw my bag at him. Liam gave me an apologetic look as we entered. “I’ll stay for a bit. But I might have to head out soon. A friend messaged me.” True enough, midway through dinner, Liam’s phone buzzed. He excused himself, saying an old friend needed him, and promised to check in later. Just like that, I was left… alone. With Adrian. Perfect. The rest of the meal turned into a battlefield. He kept making side comments, deliberately brushing his hand close to mine whenever we reached for the same dish, and smirking every time I scowled. “You know,” he said casually, sipping his drink, “for someone who claims to hate me, you sure get flustered a lot around me.” I almost choked. “Excuse me? You’re imagining things.” “Am I?” he teased, leaning closer. “Your ears are red, Cami.” I quickly covered them with my hair, glaring. “You’re impossible.” He just laughed, clearly enjoying himself. By the time I escorted him to the gate, my patience was hanging by a thread. “Now go home,” I said firmly. Instead of leaving immediately, he lingered, hands in his pockets, his grin softer this time. “You know… I don’t actually mind being stuck with you. You’re more fun than you pretend to be.” I blinked, caught off guard, but quickly masked it with a scoff. “Save your sweet talk. I’m not falling for it.” He chuckled as he finally walked away, looking way too pleased with himself. “Goodnight, Cami.” I shut the gate with a huff, muttering, “Annoying jerk…” But my heart was beating faster than I wanted to admit. The next day, things didn’t get better. Liam was with Alexis in their class, and from the looks of his messages, he was barely holding on to his sanity. Meanwhile, I stepped into BioChem with relief that Liam wasn’t here—only to immediately regret it when Adrian slid into the seat beside me again. “Miss me?” he asked, leaning back like he owned the spot. “Nope,” I said flatly, focusing on my notebook. But my peace didn’t last. The professor announced a semester-long project, pairing us randomly. My stomach dropped when my name was read alongside Adrian’s. “Lucky you,” Adrian murmured, smirking. “You get me as your partner. And I’m a graduating student, so really… you hit the jackpot.” I shot him a glare. “More like I drew the short straw.” “Oh, come on. You’ll thank me later.” “I’d rather fail than thank you,” I muttered, though my pulse quickened at the challenge in his eyes. As if things weren’t bad enough, Margaux—the glamorous, flirty type who always had perfect hair—decided Adrian was her new obsession. She clung to his arm between classes, batting her lashes and laughing at everything he said. He didn’t exactly encourage her, but he didn’t push her away either. That detached, too-cool-to-care vibe of his made me roll my eyes so hard they hurt. And of course, Adrian noticed. “Jealous, Cami?” he whispered one afternoon, leaning close. I nearly dropped my pen. “In your dreams.” “Then why do you look like you want to set Margaux’s hair on fire?” “I do not!” I snapped, cheeks burning. His grin told me he didn’t believe me. On Liam’s side of the world, he was suffering too. Alexis never let up—constantly teasing, poking fun at his seriousness, even joking to their classmates that they made a “cute pair.” Liam brushed it off, but I could tell from his texts that he was annoyed. And yet, whenever Alexis and I bumped into each other, she was still oddly sweet to me, flashing that bright smile like we were friends. The irony wasn’t lost on me. After class one day, Adrian slung his bag over his shoulder and smirked at me. “Since we’re partners, I’ll walk with you. You know, to strategize.” I groaned. “I don’t need a babysitter.” “Good thing I’m not one. I’m just better company than walking alone,” he said with that infuriating confidence. Before I could argue, Liam appeared down the hall, fresh from his class with Alexis. Relief washed over me—until I realized how it must look: Adrian walking beside me, smiling like a cat who caught the canary. And of course, standing a little ways back was Margaux, watching with narrowed eyes, already plotting something. Adrian leaned down just enough for his words to curl against my ear. “Relax, Cami. I’ll take good care of you.” I glared at him, whispering under my breath, “Annoying jerk…” But my heart skipped anyway.