Tara and Kara had woken up early that day, feeling a bit more energized than usual. They were excited to get to school on time, as they normally rushed, but today they were ahead of schedule. The bus arrived promptly, and they were dropped off at school a little earlier than usual. After walking through the gates, they headed straight to their first class, which was physics. The room buzzed with chatter as the students settled into their seats. Tara and Kara sat next to each other, their usual spots.
During the lecture, everyone was focused on taking notes as their physics teacher, Ms. Clara Simmons, discussed the topic for the day. Tara was writing down some important points when something unusual happened. About 30 minutes into the lesson, the door to the classroom opened, and all eyes turned. The students gasped in surprise when Roman, the new boy, walked in, very late for class. It wasn't just the lateness that shocked them—it was how late he was. The class had already started 30 minutes late, yet Roman still managed to arrive after that.
The whole class froze, and whispers began. No one could believe how late he was, especially when the teacher had made sure to let everyone know that tardiness wouldn't be tolerated. Despite the murmurs, Roman walked confidently toward his seat, which, much to Tara's surprise, was right next to her. His dark brown hair was slightly tousled, and he had a nonchalant expression on his face.
Tara couldn't help but stare at him for a moment. His behavior seemed indifferent, almost as if being late didn't matter to him at all. She quickly looked away, reminding herself that it wasn't her problem. Roman was a stranger to her, and from what she had observed, he didn't seem like the kind of person worth her attention. She wasn't interested in boys or drama—her focus was always on her family and school.
The class continued, but Tara couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Roman's presence beside her was strange. However, she quickly brushed it off. There were more important things on her mind. She didn't care about people like him—people who didn't follow the rules or care about anything beyond their own convenience.
After the physics lesson ended, Tara and Kara moved on to their next few classes before the long-awaited break. As usual, they grabbed some food at the cafeteria and sat down to eat. The day was going by quickly, and soon it was time for chemistry class.
When they returned to class, their chemistry teacher, Mr. Gregory, walked in, greeting the students with a warm "Good day, everyone!" The students returned the greeting, and the room quieted down as he began.
"Today, as I mentioned yesterday, you'll be working on your practical project. Each of you will be paired up with a partner, and you'll be working together to complete the project," Mr. Gregory explained. He then began reading out the pairs.
"Alice and Aries, Henry and Juliet, James and Sandra, Olivia and Ava, Samuel and Lily, Richard and—Tara and Roman..."
Tara's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe it. She had been paired with Roman, the very boy who had walked in late, looking like he didn't care about anything. She couldn't contain her surprise and muttered under her breath, "What?"
Mr. Gregory, hearing her, immediately responded. "Nobody is allowed to change their partners unless you're very sick, Tara," he said firmly. Tara felt embarrassed but couldn't hide her frustration. She couldn't believe her luck. Why, of all people, did she have to be paired with someone like him?
As Mr. Gregory continued with the rest of the list, Tara was lost in her thoughts. How was she supposed to work with Roman? She knew his reputation already—he was aloof, indifferent, and clearly didn't care about schoolwork or following the rules. Tara couldn't shake the thought of how her project might fail because of him.
When the bell rang and the class ended, Tara walked with Kara to their next class, her thoughts still clouded with frustration. She vented to Kara about how unfair the situation felt.
"Can you believe it? Why would I be paired with him, of all people? I hate the way he acts, the way he carries himself, and just... everything about him. I don't know what to do. He's not going to care about the project at all! He's probably just going to sit there and do nothing, and I'll end up doing all the work. I really don't want to fail this project."
Kara, who had been listening quietly, placed a hand on Tara's shoulder. "Tara, calm down," she said gently. "You never know what's going on with him. He's new, remember? Maybe that's why he's acting like this. Maybe he's just trying to figure things out, or he's not used to how things work here yet."
Tara shook her head. "I don't know, Kara. I've seen how he behaves. He doesn't care about anything, and I don't want to be dragged down with him."
Kara smiled softly, trying to reassure her twin. "Don't judge a book by its cover. You never know. Maybe he'll surprise you. He might change his behavior, especially now that he's here longer. And who knows, maybe he'll start caring about the project. It's worth giving him a chance."
Tara sighed, feeling a little more at ease after her sister's words. Maybe Kara was right. Maybe she was overreacting. But the thought of working with someone so indifferent made her anxious. She just hoped that everything would work out for the best.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Tara gathered her things, her mind still racing with thoughts of the project. She didn't understand why she had to be paired with someone like Roman, a boy she barely knew and had already written off as distant and cold. She sighed heavily, staring at her textbooks, the weight of the situation settling in. "I'll just have to do all the work myself," she muttered under her breath, trying to convince herself that it would be okay.
Kara noticed the tension in her sister's face. "Tara, you're overthinking it," she said softly, giving her a reassuring smile. "Maybe he's not as bad as you think." Tara shot her a look of disbelief but didn't say anything. Kara was always the optimistic one, and right now, Tara needed her to be.
As the girls walked to their next class, Tara couldn't help but wonder if Kara was right. Maybe Roman wasn't as much of a jerk as she thought. Maybe he would surprise her.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Tara gathered her things, her mind still racing with thoughts of the project. She didn't understand why she had to be paired with someone like Roman, a boy she barely knew and had already written off as distant and cold. She sighed heavily, staring at her textbooks, the weight of the situation settling in. "I'll just have to do all the work myself," she muttered under her breath, trying to convince herself that it would be okay.
Kara noticed the tension in her sister's face. "Tara, you're overthinking it," she said softly, giving her a reassuring smile. "Maybe he's not as bad as you think." Tara shot her a look of disbelief but didn't say anything. Kara was always the optimistic one, and right now, Tara needed her to be.
As the girls walked to their next class, Tara couldn't help but wonder if Kara was right. Maybe Roman wasn't as much of a jerk as she thought. Maybe he would surprise her.