The Unexpected Variable
The first thing Zariah Bennett heard that morning was laughter.Not the warm kind.Not the kind that came from a joke shared between friends.The kind that made her stomach tighten before she even knew what had been said.
She kept walking.One foot in front of the other.Don't look.Don't react.Don't give them anything.Aurelia University was already alive with students rushing between buildings, coffee cups in hand, backpacks hanging from their shoulders, conversations filling the cool morning air.
Zariah adjusted the strap of her bag and kept her eyes on the science building ahead.She had exactly twelve minutes before her first lecture.Twelve minutes to get to the classroom.Twelve minutes to disappear into her seat.Twelve minutes before she could become invisible again.
"Move, whale."The words came from behind her.Her fingers tightened around the strap.She didn't turn around."Did she hear you?" "Of course she heard me."More laughter.Zariah swallowed.She had heard worse.Much worse.Names followed her through high school. They followed her into university. Sometimes she wondered if people simply became more creative with insults as they got older.
Apparently not.She pushed open the glass doors of the science building.The laughter faded behind her.For the first time that morning, she breathed.Science was different.Science didn't care about her weight.Science didn't care about her clothes.Science didn't care whether her stomach was flat or whether she fit some ridiculous standard of beauty.
A molecule didn't care what she looked like.An equation didn't care whether anyone wanted to sit beside her.Science only cared whether she was right.And Zariah usually was.She climbed the stairs to the second floor, passing framed photographs of previous research teams displayed along the walls.There were Nobel laureates.
Inventors.Researchers.Professors who had changed entire fields.One day, she wanted her photograph on that wall.Not because she wanted people to finally see her.But because she wanted to prove to herself that she had never been invisible.She reached Room 204.Her favorite seat was waiting for her.Third row.
Near the window.Far enough from the professor to avoid unnecessary attention, but close enough to see the board clearly.Perfect.Zariah placed her bag beside her chair and pulled out her notebook.The first page was already filled with equations from last night's studying.
She smiled faintly.This was where she belonged."Morning, Zari."She looked up.Her friend Maya dropped into the seat beside her."You look like you fought for your life getting here." "I did."Maya glanced toward the door."Same people?"Zariah knew exactly what she meant.
She shrugged."It's nothing."Maya frowned."You always say that." "Because it is." "It isn't."Zariah gave her a small smile."Can we talk about literally anything else?"Maya sighed."Fine."She leaned closer."Have you heard?" "Heard what?" "Apparently we're getting a new professor."
Zariah blinked."We already have a professor." "Not anymore." "What happened to Dr. Hayes?" "He got promoted." "Good for him." "Apparently the university brought in someone from the private sector."Zariah raised an eyebrow."Private sector?" "Yeah. Some scientist. Supposedly brilliant."
"Supposedly?"Maya's smile widened."And rich."Zariah rolled her eyes."Of course." "Very rich." "Maya." "I'm just saying."Zariah opened her notebook."We're here to learn science, not hunt billionaires." "Millionaires." "What?" "He's a millionaire. Not a billionaire."
Zariah stared at her."Why do you know this?"Maya shrugged."People talk."Before Zariah could respond, the classroom door opened.The chatter died.A man stepped inside.And suddenly, nobody seemed interested in talking anymore.Zariah looked up.Her pen stopped moving.He was tall.Very tall.
His golden-brown complexion contrasted sharply with the black dress shirt beneath his charcoal-gray suit jacket. His dark hair was neatly styled, though a few strands had fallen naturally across his forehead.He didn't look like a professor.He looked like someone who belonged in the boardroom of a company worth billions.
His expression was calm.Controlled.Almost unreadable.He placed a thin folder on the desk.Then turned toward the class.Dark amber-brown eyes swept across the room.For half a second, they passed over Zariah.Then moved on.She looked down immediately.Why was her heart beating so fast?
Ridiculous.She wasn't interested in him.She didn't even know him."Good morning."His voice was deep, smooth, and controlled.A few students answered."Good morning, Professor."He picked up a piece of chalk."Before we begin, I suppose I should introduce myself."
He turned toward the board.Three words appeared in clean, precise handwriting.ZAVIAN VEYRONThe room erupted into whispers.Zariah's eyes widened.Maya leaned toward her."That's him." "Who?" "Zavian Veyron."Zariah frowned.She had heard the name before.
Everyone had.Founder.CEO.Scientific researcher.Entrepreneur.The youngest person to ever receive several of the awards displayed throughout the university.And apparently, one of the wealthiest young scientists in the country.Zavian turned back toward the class."I'm the founder and CEO of Veyron Scientific."
The whispers grew louder.He waited.Eventually, silence returned."I'll be teaching advanced molecular science this semester."Zariah stared at him.A CEO.A scientist.A millionaire.And somehow, he was standing in front of her classroom.Maya whispered, "He's ridiculously handsome."Zariah looked at her.
"You're whispering very loudly." "I don't care."Zariah suppressed a laugh.Zavian picked up a marker."Now, I don't particularly care about memorization."Several students exchanged confused looks."I care about understanding."He wrote an equation on the board.It wasn't part of their assigned syllabus.Zariah recognized it immediately.
Her eyebrows drew together.It was an advanced molecular interaction problem.One that shouldn't have been introduced until later in the semester.Zavian faced the class."Who can tell me what's wrong with this equation?"Silence.He waited.Five seconds.Ten.
Nobody raised a hand.Zariah stared at the board.Something was wrong.Not with the equation itself.With one of the assumptions behind it.She hesitated.Don't raise your hand.She raised it.Zavian's eyes found her."Yes."His gaze remained on her."Miss..." "Bennett." "Miss Bennett."Zariah lowered her hand slightly."The equation is technically correct."
He waited."But?"She swallowed."But the model assumes the reaction occurs under constant temperature."A few students turned toward her.Zariah continued."It doesn't. If the temperature changes, the reaction rate changes too, which means the predicted outcome would be inaccurate."
Silence.Zavian looked at the equation.Then at her.For the first time since entering the room, something changed in his expression.Interest.He turned back toward the board."And what would you change?"Zariah stood.She walked toward the board.Her hands were shaking.
She hated speaking in front of people.But this was science.This was different.She picked up the marker.Within seconds, she had rewritten the equation.Then she stepped back."That."Zavian stared at her work.The classroom was completely silent.He studied the board for several seconds.
Then he looked at Zariah."Where did you learn that?"She hesitated."I didn't."His eyebrow lifted slightly."I figured it out."Another pause.Then, quietly:"Interesting."He looked back at the equation."Very interesting."Zariah returned to her seat.Maya stared at her.
"What?" "You just corrected Zavian Veyron."Zariah blinked."I corrected the equation." "Same thing."Zariah glanced toward the front of the room.Zavian was still looking at the equation she'd written.She couldn't explain why, but something about his expression made her uneasy.
Not because he looked angry.Because he looked curious.And for the first time in a very long time, someone wasn't looking at Zariah Bennett and seeing the girl everyone else had decided she was.He was looking at her like she was a problem worth solving.
And Zariah had no idea yet...that she was about to become the most unexpected variable in his life.
~end of chapter one~
