You’re My Partner Now
699 Words
I saw him again.
Same classroom.
Same seat.
Same calm.
Like yesterday never happened.
Like I never happened.
My jaw tightened.
Seriously?
Not even a glance?
Fine.
I walked in.
Slow.
Controlled.
Every step deliberate.
Every eye on me.
Except—
his.
Of course.
Joseph Williams sat there, already focused.
Notebook open.
Pen moving.
Like the world didn’t exist.
Like I didn’t exist.
That irritated me more than it should.
I walked straight to him.
Didn’t stop.
Didn’t hesitate.
I pulled the chair beside him.
And sat down.
Close.
Very close.
This time—
he noticed.
I felt it.
That slight pause.
That tiny shift.
But when I looked—
he was still writing.
Unbothered.
Unaffected.
Infuriating.
“Good morning,” I said.
He didn’t look up.
“Morning.”
Flat.
That’s it?
I leaned closer.
Just enough to disturb him.
“You always like this?”
His pen stopped.
Slowly—
he turned.
And looked at me.
My breath caught.
Again.
Why does this keep happening?
“You always ask unnecessary questions?” he said.
My eyes narrowed.
“There’s nothing unnecessary about a greeting.”
“There is,” he said calmly, “when it changes nothing.”
Before I could reply—
the professor walked in.
The room went quiet.
“Everyone, we’re starting your first project.”
A project?
Already?
“Pair up with the person sitting next to you.”
My heart—
stopped.
Then started again.
Faster.
I turned.
Looked at him.
Joseph.
My partner.
Of course.
He didn’t react.
Just wrote the instructions.
Like this was normal.
Like I was just—
anyone.
I leaned closer.
Closer than before.
“Looks like you’re stuck with me,” I whispered.
His pen paused.
Just for a second.
Then—
continued.
“I don’t believe in ‘stuck’,” he said.
“I believe in efficiency.”
I smirked.
“So I’m efficient?”
He looked at me.
Finally.
Sharp eyes.
Controlled expression.
“You’re assigned.”
My smile faded.
Assigned?
That’s all I am?
I tilted my head.
“You don’t seem happy.”
“I don’t seem anything.”
Calm.
Always calm.
I hate that.
I leaned even closer.
Breaking every boundary.
“Let’s make this easier,” I said softly.
“Give me your number.”
Silence.
He held my gaze.
Long.
Steady.
Then—
he tore a piece of paper.
Wrote something.
And slid it toward me.
Our fingers brushed.
Just slightly.
But it was enough.
Electric.
I felt it.
He felt it.
I know he did.
But of course—
no reaction.
I looked down.
His number.
Neat.
Precise.
Like him.
“i********:?” I asked.
He leaned back slightly.
Creating distance.
“I don’t use it.”
I blinked.
“You don’t use i********:?”
“No.”
Just—
no.
“Why?”
He looked at me again.
“Not everything needs to be visible.”
Something about that—
felt deeper.
“You’re hiding something?” I asked.
“No.”
A pause.
“I just don’t need validation.”
That hit.
Hard.
I let out a soft laugh.
“People don’t follow me for validation.”
His eyes flickered.
“They follow you for attention.”
“And you give it.”
My smile turned slow.
“And you don’t want it?”
“No.”
Liar.
I can see it.
You just won’t admit it.
I leaned back.
Watching him.
Understanding him.
Bit by bit.
“You’re interesting, Joseph,” I said.
“I’m not trying to be.”
“I know.”
That’s the problem.
Silence.
But not empty.
Heavy.
Charged.
The kind that lingers.
The kind that burns.
I looked at the paper in my hand.
His number.
His only access point.
For now.
I folded it slowly.
Carefully.
Then looked at him.
And whispered—
“So now you can’t avoid me.”
He didn’t respond.
But I saw it.
That slight tension.
That tiny pause.
That almost invisible reaction.
He felt it.
He just won’t admit it.
Yet.
And that’s fine.
I don’t want easy.
I want him.
And now—
he’s my partner.
Whether he likes it or not.
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