VAMPIRE’s QUEEN

Working together

Finally, my last class for the day was entrepreneurship. Two hours of this, and then I'd be free to go home. I walked into the class with my friends, still lost in thought.

Jason sat down next to me, already glued to his phone as usual. Matthew went off to sit with one of his friends, while Hailey and Amelia took seats together.

I couldn't help but feel a wave of frustration wash over me as I thought about him. That bastard, He's seriously testing my patience. I don't know what he thinks he's doing, but I can't stand the sight of him. He shows up everywhere, watching me, like some creepy stalker.

And that stupid note? What did he even expect?

That I would just listen to him, obey him like some puppet? No way. He's trying to control me, to make me afraid, but I won't let him. I can't let him.

The nerve of him... Ugh! I clenched my fists, trying to push the thoughts of him away.

The more I thought about him, the more my blood boiled. He's always lurking in the shadows, watching my every move, but he doesn't own me.

I'm not some prize he can just claim whenever he feels like it. And that smirk of his... it's infuriating.

How dare he think he can just walk into my life and take control? As I was drowning in my thoughts, Professor Samantha walked into the room. Her presence immediately brightened the atmosphere.

She's my favourite professor, and I love her teaching style. It's unique, and she really takes the time to understand her students. I think I'm her favourite too, which makes her class even better

"Hello class, hope you all are doing well. Now I would like you all to put your phones aside and focus on today's class," she said, her voice calm but authoritative. She turned to the board and started writing: Special Class. I blinked at the words, not sure what to expect.

“Ma'am, what's so special about today's class?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“You'll know soon, Evelyn," she replied with a smile. I could tell she had something planned. Before she could continue, her voice suddenly sharpened.

“Jason, I told you to put your phone down. Don't make me give you detention." I nudged Jason, whispering, "Dude, come on, put your phone down." Jason sighed and muttered,

"Sorry, Miss Samantha," as he slipped his phone into his pocket. Professor Samantha smiled and continued.

“So, as I was saying, today's class is special and important for your final grades. I had a meeting with the principal about something unique for today's session.

As you all know, the main goal of this subject is to brainstorm new business ideas, ones that are feasible and have the potential to become real ventures. You'll be presenting a prototype of your business idea or product to me, and some of you may even choose entrepreneurship as your major, so this project is critical."

I sat up a little straighter, intrigued. A new project wasn't surprising, but there was something different about today. "Now," Professor Samantha continued, "here's the twist. You'll be working in pairs, but you won't be paired with your usual classmates. Instead, you'll be teamed up with students from a different department. It's a way to encourage interaction and cross-disciplinary collaboration." She paused for effect, and then the door opened.

“So, I'd like you to welcome a few students from the West Wing who will be joining you until the end of the semester." The moment she said those words, three students entered the room.

My heart sank, and my eyes widened in shock.

There, he was getting into the class like he owned the place, two of his friends walking in behind him.

I froze. The room seemed to spin for a second as I watched him make his way inside, his dark eyes scanning the room until they landed on me. My stomach twisted, a mix of anger and unease bubbling inside me. Of all the people, why him?

Why here? Why now? He didn't just enter the room. He dominated it.

The atmosphere shifted, and I could feel the weight of his presence pressing down on me. My pulse quickened, but not out of fear. It was anger. Pure, burning anger. How dare he come into my class? Into my space? As I stared at him, I felt Jason nudge me, snapping me out of my daze.

"You okay?" he asked, clearly noticing my tension. I forced a smile and nodded, but inside, my mind was racing. What's he planning? What does he want this time? My thoughts were interrupted when Professor Samantha spoke again,

"These students will be your partners for the upcoming project. They will be working with you closely, so get to know them." I clenched my jaw trying to suppress the wave of frustration and helplessness rising inside me. I could feel his eyes on me, watching me, probably enjoying my reaction. He always did.

This was going to be a nightmare, I could already tell. Just when I thought I could finally get through my day without any more interruptions, he had to show up. "Before moving forward, boys introduce yourselves," Professor Samantha said, gesturing to the newcomers. My heart pounded as I tried to keep my face neutral. "My name is Xavier Luciano, and right now, it's my sixth semester. It's our pleasure to learn something from you, Miss Samantha," he said, his eyes locked on me the entire time.

I could feel his gaze piercing right through me. Of course, he had to look directly at me. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, and I couldn't hide the wave of anger bubbling inside me. Miss Samantha smiled at him, completely oblivious to the tension.

"My name is Liam, and it's my sixth semester," said the second guy.

“And my name is Sebastian, same semester," added the third. So his name was Xavier. That confirmed my suspicion. The "X" on the note was definitely him. That bastard. I clenched my fists under the desk. Just the thought of him having some kind of control over me made my skin crawl.

"Pss, Jason, let's exchange seats,"

I heard Hailey whisper from the backseat. Jason nodded and quickly swapped seats with her when Professor Samantha wasn't looking.

“What happened?" I asked Hailey, curious.

“Gossip time," she whispered back, grinning. I raised an eyebrow at her.

“What do you mean?"Look at those guys. They are handsome as hell," she said with a wide grin, clearly enjoying the view.

“Oh, shut up, you don't know them," I said, rolling my eyes. Hailey smirked.

“Oh, so you know them?" she asked, lightly punching my arm.

“Yeah, they’re spoiled rich bastards," I muttered, annoyance creeping into my voice.

"Girls, stop talking," Miss Samantha warned, and we both fell silent. "So, before continuing, let me divide all of you into pairs in which you'll work.

According to the list, the pairs are Jason with Nadia, Noah with Chris, Hailey with Liam, Amelia with Matthew, and Xavier with... Evelyn." My heart stopped. "What??" I blurted out, standing up from my seat in shock.

Did I hear that right? Did she really just say my name with his? As she continued with the list, I felt my head spinning. Of all the people in this class, why him? God, no way in hell am I going to pair up with Xavier or work with him alone. He's the last person I wanted to be around, let alone work on a project. The thought of being stuck with him made my stomach churn. There was no way I could focus with him around, and knowing him, he'd probably make this whole thing unbearable. I couldn't let this happen.

“Any problem, Evelyn?" Miss Samantha asked, her eyes now on me, as the entire class turned to stare.

Of course, he looked amused. Xavier had that irritating smirk on his face as if he found my reaction entertaining. "Yes! I don't want to work with him. Why can't I work with Matthew or Hailey?" I asked, my voice full of frustration.

“Sit down, Evelyn. It's not up to you to decide who you're going to work with. It's my class, and I will decide," she said firmly.

“But I can't work with him. Change my partner. I can work with Sebastian or Liam," I argued, shooting a quick glance at Xavier.

His eyes darkened, glaring at me with a fury that sent chills down my spine. If we weren't in class right now, I knew he would've made me regret every word.

"Enough, Evelyn," Miss Samantha raised her voice.

"I don't have time for this. You're the top student in the class, and he's the top student in his class. I want to see what idea both of you can come up with together. If you don't want to work, you can leave my class, or I will fail you." Her words hit me like a slap. I couldn't believe this was happening. She was serious, and I had no choice but to sit down, feeling utterly defeated.

“Sit down, Evelyn. What's wrong with you?" Hailey whispered, tugging at my shirt and pulling me back into my seat. I dropped back into my chair, my mind still reeling. How could she do this to me? My anger flared up again, but I knew I had to stay quiet, at least for now. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Xavier glaring at me, his eyes burning with anger.

I had definitely triggered something inside him, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what it was.

My whole body tensed under his intense gaze, but I tried to keep my focus on Miss Samantha, ignoring the growing anxiety inside me. "Right, so where was I?" Professor Samantha continued, getting back to her lecture. But I could barely concentrate.

All I could think about was the fact that I was now paired with him. "Now, class, we have an hour and 35 minutes left. Exchange seats with your partners and start brainstorming your ideas." Students began to get up, switching seats with their new partners.

I watched as Hailey exchanged an excited smile with Liam, and Matthew gave me an apologetic look as he moved to sit with Amelia. My friends were lucky.

They got each other, and now here I was, stuck with the one person I desperately wanted to avoid. I felt a heavy weight drop into the seat next to me. Xavier, of course. As he sat, I could feel his presence suffocating me.

Great. Now I have to work with the guy who's been stalking me, obsessing over me, and trying to control every aspect of my life. It's just perfect.

I glanced over at him, my frustration building again. He's going to make this a living hell.