New Deskmate

Later that morning, a wave of excitement rippled through Evangeline's rowdy class. The homeroom teacher stood at the front of the room, clapping his hands to settle the restless chatter before announcing a new transfer student.

A tall boy stepped through the doorway. "Hello, everyone. I'm Finley Vane," he announced. He flashed a bright, deceptively innocent smile, scanning the rows of desks. That single grin charmed the room, sending a collective swoon through the female students. Whispers erupted as girls traded breathless comments about his looks, marveling at how handsome he was.

Evangeline had been resting face down on her desk, seeking a moment of peace after the suffocating morning commute. At the sound of that piercingly familiar voice, she froze. She slowly lifted her head. Deep discontent flashed in her dark eyes as she glared at the boy by the whiteboard.

*How unlucky,* she thought bitterly. *I can't seem to get rid of him no matter where I go.*

Oblivious to her glare, girls adjusted their hair and threw blatant stares in Finley’s direction, desperately hoping he would choose a seat next to them. Ignoring their high-pitched whispers, Finley strode down the aisle. He bypassed every eager face and headed straight for the only empty seat in the room—the one right beside Evangeline.

He dropped his sleek backpack onto the floor and slid into the chair. "Nice to meet you, my new deskmate," he said. A mischievous, menacing smile played on his lips.

Annoyed and uninterested in his childish games, Evangeline refused to acknowledge his presence. She kept her eyes glued to her blank notebook, picking up her pen and fidgeting idly with it. The rhythmic tapping of the plastic against the desk was her only response.

"Hey, Evangeline! Have you gone mute?!" Finley snapped. His fragile ego bruised by her unwavering silence, his polite facade cracked for a split second.

From that exact moment, her peaceful school life shattered. Finley made it his mission to obnoxiously pester her during every single class. He waved his hands in her peripheral vision whenever the teacher turned around to write on the board. He kicked the metal legs of her chair, jolting her desk and sending her pen skidding across her paper. He demanded her attention, leaning into her space, yet she remained stubbornly, brilliantly silent.

His irritating behavior finally hit an explosive peak during their advanced math class. The strict teacher, a stern woman who tolerated no nonsense, tapped her chalk against the blackboard. She asked the room for volunteers to participate in the upcoming, prestigious Math Olympiad.

Finley leaned over. He casually spun his expensive pen between his fingers and sneered. "How much Math Olympiad do you actually know, Evangeline?"

Not wanting to engage but tired of his endless prodding, she replied impatiently, "Just a little."

A malicious idea sparked in Finley's eyes. Without missing a beat, he shot his hand into the air. He raised his voice for the entire room to hear. "Miss, Evangeline says that she desperately wants to join the Math Olympiad!"

The classroom immediately erupted into cruel murmurs and poorly stifled laughter. Entitled students turned in their seats, mocking her countryside background.

"She wants to join? She's from the sticks," a girl whispered a few rows up, her voice carrying through the quiet room. "A bumpkin couldn't possibly understand basic algebra, let alone Olympiad-level equations."

"She's biting off way more than she can chew," another chimed in, snickering behind her hand.

The teacher cleared her throat, tapping the chalkboard again to quiet the room. She looked at Evangeline with a mix of doubt and pity, attempting to dissuade her to save her from public humiliation.

"You're probably unfamiliar with our elite school's rigorous standards in academic competitions since you're so new to this urban environment," the teacher suggested gently. "Why don't you take some preparatory lessons and simply join next year instead?"

Evangeline gripped her pen tighter. She felt looked down upon by the heavy condescension in the teacher's tone. She hadn't wanted to join the competition in the first place. Her only desire was to maintain a low profile and coast through the academic year undetected. But now, backed into a corner by Finley's deliberate sabotage and the teacher's suffocating pity, she had no choice. She refused to be a joke.

"It's fine, Miss. Let me join this year," she insisted firmly, her voice steady and cutting through the lingering giggles.

The teacher blinked, taken aback. "Are you sure about this?"

"Don't worry, Miss," Evangeline added. "My math has always been pretty good back in our old school."

The moment the bell rang and class ended, Finley leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. He mocked her, his voice dripping with faux sympathy. "You should've just told the teacher no if you don't know any Math Olympiad! Why would you stubbornly insist on joining the competition? How embarrassing for you!"

Evangeline ignored his gloating, keeping her expression neutral. A subtle buzz vibrated against her thigh. She reached into her pocket, tracing the smooth edge of her hidden phone. Using the chaotic shifting of students packing their bags as cover, she seamlessly slipped out of the loud classroom before he could say another word.

She navigated the bustling hallways and headed straight to the deserted back staircase. The air grew cooler here, far from the prying eyes of the student body. As she pushed open the heavy fire door, she saw Jace practically vibrating by the landing. He waved a thick document excitedly in the air.

"Boss! Boss!" he cheered loudly, his voice echoing off the concrete walls.

"Shush! Keep it down!" she hissed. She closed the distance between them in three long strides, pressing his head down to duck below the stairwell window. She checked their surroundings, peering up and down the steps to ensure they were alone. Satisfied, she released him. "Is there anything specific you need to tell me?"

Jace handed her the thick document, practically glowing with pride. The pages were dense with complex equations. "I heard through the grapevine that you're joining the Math Olympiad, so I prepared some advanced exercise questions for you."

Evangeline sighed, taking the heavy packet. Finley must have spread the news across the whole school the second he had the chance.

"Why did you decide to join the Math Olympiad, Boss?" Jace asked in deep confusion, tilting his head. "You've already received so many high-level academic accreditations globally. Why would you care about getting such an insignificant, high school prize?"

Evangeline leaned back against the cool concrete wall. She had originally planned to cover up her extraordinary intellectual prowess, intent on playing the part of a struggling transfer student. But Finley had ruthlessly forced her hand, and stepping down would only draw more ridicule and unwanted attention.

She shrugged helplessly. "It's a really long story. One more thing, though…"

"What is it?" Jace asked, instantly all ears, snapping to attention.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, fixing on the shadowed steps below as a creeping sense of suspense wrapped around her. "I clearly saw my photo in Dominic's study yesterday. Tell me the truth: is he doing a background check on me?"