Elena shuffled through the school hallway, keeping her head low as usual. It was easier that way—to avoid eye contact, to dodge the sneers and whispers that seemed to follow her. She adjusted the strap of her bag and slipped into her classroom just as the bell rang.
"Hey, Elena," a cheerful voice greeted her.
Elena turned to see Hannah, a classmate who occasionally tried to talk to her. "Hi," she replied softly, sliding into her seat.
Before the conversation could go any further, their teacher, Mr. Callum, walked in, his usual energetic demeanor filling the room. "Good afternoon, class! I hope everyone's ready for some collaborative work because today we're starting group projects."
A collective groan rippled through the class. Mr. Callum smirked. "Don't sound too excited. This will be fun. Now, I'll let you choose your partners—but I expect work, not chatter."
Elena froze. She hated group work. She hated the awkwardness of finding a partner, the rejection when people avoided her, and the humiliation of being the last one standing.
Before she could sink too far into her thoughts, a voice pulled her back. "Partners?"
She looked up to see Liam standing beside her desk, his usual calm expression softened by a faint smile.
"Uh…" Elena hesitated, glancing around the room. She noticed Hamly across the aisle, whispering something to another girl and laughing. For a moment, she thought about asking her best friend to team up, but the thought quickly vanished. Hamly didn't look her way.
"Elena?" Liam prompted.
"Are you sure?" she asked finally, her voice barely audible.
"Yeah, I'm sure," he said with a slight chuckle. "Unless you don't want to work with me."
"No! I mean, yes! I mean… sure," Elena stammered, feeling her face heat up.
"Good," Liam said simply and pulled out the chair next to her.
Behind them, a few students exchanged curious glances. One of them, Sarah, leaned over to whisper to Hamly. "When did they become friends?"
Hamly shrugged, her lips curling into a smirk. "Who knows? Maybe he feels sorry for her."
Sarah snickered. "Maybe. Or maybe he just likes a challenge."
The comments didn't reach Elena's ears, but Liam noticed the not-so-subtle stares. He ignored them, turning his attention back to their teacher, who was now explaining the project details.
"You'll need to create a presentation on a topic of your choice," Mr. Callum announced. "I'll give you the rest of this period to brainstorm. Use your time wisely!"
As the classroom buzzed with activity, Liam turned to Elena. "Any ideas?"
She blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, not really. What about you?"
"How about art?" he suggested.
Elena tilted her head. "Art?"
"Yeah," Liam said, pulling out a sketchpad from his bag. He flipped it open to reveal a series of intricate pencil sketches. Some were of landscapes, others were abstract designs, but all of them were beautifully detailed.
"Wow," Elena breathed. "You drew these?"
"Yeah," Liam said, a hint of pride in his voice. "It's kind of my thing."
"They're amazing," Elena said sincerely. "I mean… I don't know much about art, but these are really good."
"Thanks," Liam said, his smile widening slightly. "What about you? What's your thing?"
"My thing?"
"Yeah. Everyone has something they're passionate about."
Elena hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her notebook. "I like writing," she admitted quietly.
"Writing? Like stories?"
She nodded. "Mostly short stories. Sometimes poems."
"That's cool," Liam said. "Maybe we can combine them—art and writing."
Elena looked at him, surprised. "You'd be okay with that?"
"Why not? It sounds interesting," Liam said.
Before Elena could respond, a loud laugh interrupted them.
"Look at those two—arts and crafts club, huh?" a boy named Caleb sneered from across the room.
"Leave them alone, Caleb," Hannah said sharply.
"What? I'm just saying they're perfect for each other," Caleb said with a smirk.
"Ignore him," Liam muttered to Elena, his tone firm.
Elena nodded, but she couldn't help shrinking into herself.
As the period ended, Liam stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Library after school?" he asked.
"Okay," Elena said softly.
---
The library was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of pages and the faint hum of the air conditioner. Elena sat at a table near the window, her notebook open in front of her. She tapped her pen against the paper, trying to focus, but her mind kept drifting.
"Hey," Liam said, sliding into the seat across from her.
"Hi," Elena replied.
He set his sketchpad on the table and flipped it open. "I was thinking we could do something like this," he said, showing her a sketch of a tree with intricate branches that seemed to tell a story.
Elena studied the drawing, her brow furrowing in thought. "It's beautiful," she said. "Maybe we can add a poem to it—something about growth or change."
"Yeah, that could work," Liam said, nodding.
As they brainstormed, the librarian, Mrs. Jenkins, walked by. "Nice to see students actually working on a project," she said with a smile.
"Thanks," Liam said.
Elena glanced at the clock. It was getting late, and she knew she needed to get home before her family started asking questions.
"I should go," she said, closing her notebook.
"Want me to walk you home?" Liam offered.
Elena hesitated. "No, it's okay. I'll be fine."
"Alright," Liam said, watching her gather her things. "See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Elena said with a small smile.
---
As Elena walked home, her mind replayed the events of the day. For the first time in a long time, she felt… hopeful.
Meanwhile, Liam lingered in the library, flipping through his sketchpad. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Elena than she let on.
At the other end of town, Hamly sat in her room, scrolling through her phone. She paused when she saw a photo someone had posted from earlier that day. It showed Liam and Elena sitting together, deep in conversation.
Hamly's eyes narrowed. "Interesting," she muttered to herself.
She tapped out a message to Caleb. "Got a plan. Meet me tomorrow."