Unlike other mornings when Cecilia practically had to drag me out of bed, today I was up before the sun, wide awake and buzzing with energy. The brief moment with Liam on the stairs played on repeat in my head—I couldn't shake the butterflies dancing in my stomach.
As I bathed, I found myself spinning and smiling, my thoughts drifting to the idea of us being in the same group. The fact that I'd also be spending time with Josephine made my heart race with excitement. For once, things felt... light. Unexpectedly good.
I arrived at the classroom earlier than usual, taking my seat at the back and casually greeting everyone as they walked in. One by one, they responded—some with smiles, others with nods. Even Josephine gave a subtle nod. But of course, Jennie…
"What's your problem?" she snapped, responding to my greeting with a glare.
I didn't let her ruin my mood. I simply turned away and waited—for Liam.
Then he walked in…
Jennie, as usual, leapt from her seat and tried to cling to him, but Liam gently shrugged her off and guided her back without a word. My eyes followed his every step as he made his way toward the seat next to mine. He glanced at me, a sharp, knowing smile playing on his lips before he sat down.
My heart skipped.
That smile—it was enough to send my thoughts spiraling. Cecilia, ever the observer, turned around just long enough to catch the moment and shot me a teasing smirk before quickly facing forward.
Moments later, Mr. Johnny strolled in, his usual energetic vibe filling the room. He wore a crisp blue shirt tucked neatly into denim jeans, the outfit tied together with clean white sneakers speckled with subtle blue dots.
"Good morning, class," he said, raising a hand in a casual wave.
"How are we all doing?" Mr. Johnny asked, his voice light but expectant.
The room stayed silent.
A boy to my left chuckled and teased, "Jennie, ain't you gonna talk?"
Jennie whipped her head around and shot him a deadly glare. He quickly faced forward again.
Mr. Johnny grinned slightly. "Alright then... I'm sure by now you all know your group members. So here's your first project—something light but meaningful."
He paced slowly in front of the board, then turned to face us.
"You're going to move around the building—visit other classes, talk to students and teachers. Ask about their likes, dislikes, what excites them, what bores them… simple things that tell you who they are."
He continued, "From those interactions, each group will pick the most interesting responses and turn them into a visual presentation, a report, or even a short playlet. Be creative."
"Keep it real. You're to submit at most 20 unique interactions—with evidence of your discussions and who said what. This is all about communication and observation, so don't just write things down. Pay attention. Got it?"
Heads nodded around the room, and the quiet hum of anticipation began to rise.
"You have just two weeks to complete this, and it must be ready by then," Mr. Johnny said. "So, I'll leave you with your teammates now—use this time to plan and get organized." With that, he walked out of the class almost immediately.
Students began shifting around, forming groups of three. Some were excited, others just going through the motions. Cecilia threw me a sassy glare as she strutted over to Jennie's side. I couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh—she always had to be dramatic.
I glanced up at Josephine. She hadn't moved an inch. Legs on the desk, eyes fixed on the ceiling, looking completely uninterested. It was clear she wasn't going to come to us.
Then I looked at Liam. Calm as always, eyes fixed on Josephine like he was trying to figure her out. Just then, he turned his gaze to me. I quickly looked away, but it was too late.
"Hey, Mia..." he called softly.
"I was just coming to see you…" I began as Josephine approached.
"Spare me the formalities. Let's just get this over with," she snapped, her tone sharp and unbothered.
I glanced back at Liam. "So… any ideas? Where do we start?"
He avoided eye contact, his voice low. "We could check the classes that aren't in session first…"
Without a word, Josephine brushed past me and slammed her hands onto Liam's desk. The sudden noise turned a few heads.
"Josephine, what's your problem?" Jennie barked from her seat, standing with folded arms.
Josephine ignored her. "What's wrong, Liam?" she said, eyes locked on him. "Still scared of me?"
"I… I don't know what you mean," Liam replied, his voice unsteady.
"Joseph—"
"Don't," she cut me off coldly, her eyes never leaving Liam. "Just because we're in the same group doesn't mean we're suddenly friends."
The tension in the room thickened as everyone watched, waiting for what would happen next.
"Liam… why are you avoiding eye contact with me?" Josephine asked, her voice low but firm. "Haven't you let the past go?"
Liam hesitated, then slowly turned to face her. "No—no, it's fine. Really. Let's just get started," he muttered before quickly grabbing his things and walking out of the classroom.
I gave Josephine a quick glance and quietly followed behind him, hoping she'd do the same.
"Liam, what was that about?" I asked once I caught up to him in the hallway.
"It's nothing," he replied, trying to sound calm, but his voice betrayed him. "We… we just had a misunderstanding a while back. That's all."
Moments later, Josephine stepped out of the class and began walking ahead of us without saying a word.
"She's crazy, Mia… believe me," Liam muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Josephine asked, not looking back.
"Nothing. We're right behind you," Liam said quickly, his breathing unsteady.
I didn't know what history they shared, but something told me this project would stir up more than just interviews and presentations. Something deeper was unraveling—and by the time we finished, everything between the three of us might look very different.