During the break, the twins, Kara and Tara, sat with Lucas, Juliet, and James at one of the larger tables in the cafeteria. It wasn't their usual routine, but after the morning's tense events, they all decided to eat together, trying to lighten the mood. Roman, as expected, was not with them.
Kara was quietly eating her sandwich when Juliet turned to her, a playful smile on her face. "Kara and Lucas, you two are so lucky to be paired together, you know?" she said, pointing her fork at them. "You made such a good team during your presentation it's really admirable."
Lucas glanced at Kara's face, which was slightly puffed as she chewed her food. Something about her casual focus made him chuckle shyly. "Yeah, we… we did okay," he said, trying not to sound too flustered.
Meanwhile, James was watching Tara intently, his gaze unwavering. Tara, who was still irritated from the day's earlier chaos, finally snapped. "James, can you stop staring at me and let me eat in peace?" she said, her voice edged with question.
James leaned back with a smirk, completely unfazed. "I can't help it," he said smoothly. "You're the most beautiful and amazing lady in this school. How could I not look?"
This statement left the group momentarily stunned. Kara raised an eyebrow at him while Tara simply narrowed her eyes.
"I look exactly like Kara," Tara said flatly, clearly unimpressed. "What are you even talking about?"
James shrugged, unfazed. "Maybe, but I only see you as my lady," he replied with a grin.
Tara rolled her eyes so hard that Kara couldn't hold back her laughter. "James, you're hopeless," Kara muttered, shaking her head.
Juliet chimed in next. "Tara, you should really thank your lucky stars that you managed to pull off a B today," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "Honestly, with Roman's attitude, I didn't think you'd even get to present."
"True," Kara agreed. "But let's not forget the guy is brilliant, no matter how annoying he is."
"Brilliant?" Tara scoffed, setting her drink down with more force than necessary. "We're not seriously giving credit to that good-for-nothing slacker, are we? Please! I'm just happy to be done with him. Thank God all ties with him are officially cut. I feel like a bird freed from its cage."
Lucas, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "Kara, don't be too hard on him," he said thoughtfully. "From what I saw, he came today because of you. Judging by his actions, I don't think he would've shown up otherwise."
Kara tilted her head, surprised by Lucas's observation. "Oh? And what makes you think that?" she asked.
Lucas hesitated, suddenly looking flustered. Before he could answer, Kara caught him staring at her. She turned to face him fully. "Lucas, is something wrong with your eyes?" she asked bluntly.
Lucas blinked rapidly, his face flushing. "No, no… nothing at all," he stammered.
Tara watched the interaction with mild amusement before standing up. "I'm heading to biology class now," Kara said, grabbing her bag. "Tara, I'll see you later."
Tara waved her off. "Have fun," she said casually before standing up as well. She adjusted her bag and turned to James, who immediately perked up.
"And where are you going?" James asked with a teasing smile.
"None of your business," Tara replied.
"Since you're not offering biology, I'll keep you company," James declared, standing up with exaggerated enthusiasm.
Tara groaned. "James, seriously"
"Yes, seriously," he interrupted with a playful grin. "Lead the way, my little mermaid."
Tara narrowed her eyes at him, her glare sharp enough to silence him temporarily. "Don't push me," she warned before walking off.
James had left Tara alone for sports practice, and now she was finally by herself in the library—a rare and quiet moment to focus. As she walked through the aisles, her mind lingered on the frustrating events of the day, but she quickly pushed them aside. Books were her sanctuary, and she was determined to make good use of the time.
*******
Roman sat in the corner of the library, flipping through a physics textbook. He wasn't studying for any specific reason; instead, he was there out of boredom—or so he told himself. Deep down, even he wasn't sure why he had bothered to show up. As he idly turned a page, he caught sight of Tara entering the library. His calm expression didn't change, but his gaze followed her.
'Oh, it's her'. Roman thought, recognizing her immediately. The girl who had somehow convinced him to come for the project. His lips curved slightly in amusement as he watched her scan the shelves with a focused expression.
Tara was oblivious to Roman's presence, too preoccupied with her search. She moved along the rows of books, muttering softly to herself. "Where is this book?" she said under her breath. After a few minutes, she spotted it: Work, Energy, and Power. Unfortunately, it was on the topmost shelf, far out of her reach.
Tara glanced around and noticed a small ladder nearby. She dragged it over, positioning it carefully before climbing up. Reaching for the book, she managed to grab it with some effort. Instead of coming down right away, Tara opened it to check the contents just to be sure if it's the right content.
Roman observed her silently from his seat, his calm demeanor unchanged. He tilted his head slightly when he noticed the ladder wobble.
The next moment, the ladder slid, and Tara gasped softly as she realized she was falling. She closed her eyes, bracing for the impact.
But instead of hitting the ground, she found herself in a pair of steady arms.
When she opened her eyes cautiously, she was met with Roman's composed face. His expression was unreadable, though there was a faint trace of amusement in his eyes.
"You okay?" he asked simply.
Tara blinked, her mind racing. Quickly, she stepped out of his arms and straightened her clothes. "I didn't ask for your help," she said, more flustered than annoyed.
Roman raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Tara turned to leave, but before she could, Roman gently grabbed her wrist. "Hey," he said, his tone calm but firm. "No 'thank you'? And what about the project?"
Tara yanked her hand free, glaring at him. "First, I didn't ask you to save me. Second, you didn't even help me with the project. If I'd been paired with someone better, I wouldn't have gotten a B. And third, stay away from me." Her voice was cold, but Roman's expression remained unbothered.
"What's so bad about a B?" he asked, his tone still relaxed. "And just so you know, I didn't plan to save you. You fell on me. Oh, and you broke my watch."
Tara froze, her irritation giving way to surprise. "I… I broke your watch?" she asked, embarrassed. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Roman shrugged. "Didn't seem important at the time."
Tara frowned, unsure how to respond. "Well, okay. How much is it? I'll pay for it."
Roman's lips curved into a small, amused smile. "It's $120,000."
Tara's jaw dropped. "One hundred and twenty what?!"
Roman nodded casually. "It's a custom piece. One of a kind."
Tara stared at him, speechless. "That's insane! I can't pay that kind of money right now."
Roman leaned back slightly, crossing his arms. "Then you'll have to work for me until you can."
"Work for you?" Tara repeated, her voice incredulous. "You can't be serious."
"I'm completely serious," Roman replied calmly. "You broke it, you fix it. That's how it works."
Tara clenched her fists, her green eyes blazing with defiance. "Fine," she said after a moment. "But don't think I'm doing this because I want to. I'm only doing it because I owe you."
Roman's calm demeanor didn't waver, but his lips twitched slightly, as if suppressing a smile. "Fair enough."
Without another word, Tara turned on her heel and walked away, her frustration evident in her quick strides. Roman watched her go, his expression still composed but with a faint trace of amusement lingering in his eyes. For someone who usually found people tiresome, Tara was proving to be an interesting exception.