Chapter 1
Ethan Cole
“Pick up one folded piece of paper. Whoever you get is who you’ll be working with for this project,” the teacher announced.
We all moved forward at once. I reached the basket and toyed with the papers for a moment, dragging my fingers over them, spinning them slightly, before finally picking one.
“Whoa, who did you get?” my friends laughed as they opened theirs.
“Hey, I got Ciara,” one of them called out.
I was just about to open mine when Maddie stepped closer. “Let’s open it together,” she said, smiling.
“Mmm,” I murmured, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to her head.
We swapped papers and unfolded them at the same time. When I saw the name on hers, I smiled. It was a guy — Anderson. I looked up at her, and she was grinning as she lifted the paper for everyone to see.
“Guys, Ethan got the school clown,” she announced.
My eyes widened as laughter exploded around us.
What the fuck?
I snatched the paper from her hand and looked down.
Elena Moore.
The name stood out clearly, boldly written.
Instantly, my stomach turned, and the urge to throw up hit me hard.
No, not her. I snapped my head over to where she sat and watched as she adjusted her glasses. I didn’t mind that she was there, but I blurted it out anyway.
“Nah, you gotta be kidding me,” I said, and the whole class erupted into laughter again.
“Oh, don’t cry, Ethan, it’s just a project. It’s not like you’re gonna marry her,” someone mocked.
Blurgh. Me? Never. Not this irritating girl.
“Eww,” I muttered, and the class laughed even harder. Maddie held my arms.
“Oh, come on, you can just change, stinky,” she teased, knowing full well that wasn’t possible.
Suddenly, Elena got up from her seat and walked right out of the classroom. My twisted, disgusted face followed her out. Fuck, I hate her.
By the time we reached the cafeteria, they wouldn’t stop talking about it.
“Oh, what if they go all kissy-kissy in the project?”
I squeezed my face. “Gross. Don’t do that.”
