Desiderium

25| The Project

A R A B E L L A

"You're an asshole, you know that?" I rolled my eyes as I shut my locker and head down the school's hallway.

"I have heard worst," Nathaniel replied as he followed me.

"Like what? Fucking narcissistic, arrogant bastard?" I chuckled humorlessly.

"Nah. A lot worst, tigresa." He sighs as we entered the class we both had together.

"Dear, student. I have decided to organize a project that will consist the 50% of your final grade." The teacher announced. "I will assign you each a partner of my choice and you have exactly two weeks to get to know each other and write an essay about the other," she explains.

Fucking hell. Socializing and pretending I give a shit sounds like two weeks of absolute heaven.

"I have done this project each year and it helped my students in ways you can't understand yet. So at the end of those two weeks, you won't be just giving me the essay you wrote but also feedback on this experience and what it has thought you." She got up from behind her desk and stood in front of us.

"Arabella Romano and Nathaniel Lopez. You will be working together."

Excuse me? I must have heard wrongly.

"There is absolutely no way I will be working with him." I tried to rug as calmly as I could.

"I am the one who isn't ecstatic to be working with you." He rolled his eyes and clench his jaw.

"Well, first it looks like I care about your protests? No. So you guys will have to learn how to get along because you will be working together whether you like it or not."

What a total fucking nightmare. Me working with that pompous and pretentious fucker was something I would rather not have to do. But this project consists of 50% of my grade so I will have to suck it up.

"Today after school at my place. Don't be late."

"Excuse you? Who do you think you are to order me around? My brother?" I scoff annoyed.

He darkly chuckle and inched his head toward me until I could feel his warm breath on my skin "Trust me, Amor. I don't think of you as a brother would think of his sister." He whispered in my ear.

I swallowed my saliva. Then I swallowed again hard. Fuck. Why do I feel this weird thing in my stomach? Why do I feel it for him?

I ignore whatever that was and got up taking my things with me as I left the room.

• • •

It is finally lunchtime. I had been waiting for this all day since Adrian announced that he has a big surprise for me.

"Hey, Ara. Ready for the surprise?" Adrian asked as we walked toward the parking lot, my brothers and friends following us.

After I gave him a small nod, Adrian covered my eyes with his hands. We suddenly stopped and my vision was granted back to me as he removed his hands from my eyes.

I gasped when I saw who was standing in front of me. Someone I haven't seen in months. Someone I missed dearly.

"Jaxon?"I breathlessly asked as my disbelief and surprise were showing.

"Hello, Arabella. Miss me?"

Holy shit. It was really him. I didn't waste a second before running into his arm. He welcomed me as he lift me from the ground and I proceeded to wrap my legs around his waist.