Emirates academy
Class E.
New of the mid term holidays flew like fire in a dry bush.
Marco leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers.
"…Finially a break from all this stress."
Mario raised a brow.
"Really bro, I can sleep for ten hours again?"
Marco nodded seriously.
"Right on track brother."
Anastasia rolled her eyes.
"You lazy fellows."
Maria chuckled softly.
As Andre was having a little chat with Esmeralda.
Then the door opened.
Heels clicked against the floor.
"Good morning, class."
Ms. Alvarez.
Marco leaned forward
"Well if it isn't our sassy chemistry teacher."
Mario patted him on the back
"I had a very, very interesting dream about her yesterday."
Anastasia's eyes widened.
"And you call your self our class rep. You should be class pervert."
"Good morning class."
"Good morning, ma'am."
She placed her books down neatly.
"…Let's see if any of you actually studied after our last class."
Marco whispered:
"Oh noo! If I knew she would asks questions today I would have read to impress her."
Ms. Alvarez turned to the board.
Wrote a complex redox equation.
Something that made half the class immediately uncomfortable.
She turned.
"…Soo... who can balance this equation?"
Silence.
Students avoided eye contact like it was a death wish.
Then
A hand went up.
Esmeralda.
Whispers began coming up.
"As expected."
"Our number one in class."
Ms. Alvarez nodded.
"Go ahead."
Esmeralda stood.
Walked to the board.
And without hesitation
Started solving.
Step by step.
Clean.
Precise.
The room watched.
Marco looked back at Andre..
"…Okay… she's actually brilliant, I give her that."
Within seconds
She finished.
Placed the chalk down.
Turned.
"…Done."
Ms. Alvarez studied the board.
Then nodded.
"…Correct."
A small wave of murmurs spread.
As they class gave her a round of applause.
Ms. Alvarez didn't stop there.
She erased part of the solution.
"…Now—"
She added a twist.
Something harder.
"…Who can balance this one?"
Silence again.
Then.
Andre raised his hand.
Marco whispered loudly:
"Don't embarrass your self trying to impress Esmeralda."
Andre gave him a sharp stare and walked to the board.
No rush.
No hesitation.
He picked up the chalk
And solved it faster than Esmeralda did.
Different method.
He dropped the chalk back.
"…Done."
Silence.
Then.
"WHAT???"
"That was fast."
"There is no way that is correct."
Marco stood halfway up.
"You got it wrong bro!"
Mario laughed.
"…Bro aura farmed and failed the question."
Anastasia smirked.
"Can you guys wait and hear the answers."
Maria watched Andre quietly.
A small smile forming.
Ms. Alvarez looked at the board with intrest.
Clearly Impressed.
"…Interesting."
She folded her arms.
"…Very interesting."
A pause.
Then
"I see we have two… exceptional minds in this class."
Marco's mouth went dry.
"Wait he got it."
"I knew you could get it."
Anastasia smirked
"You liar."
Whispers started erupting again.
"He's the new boy that got 99 at the entrance exams."
"Talk about last week, he topped the test."
Ms. Alvarez turned back to the class.
"Since some of you clearly have potential…"
"…we'll be starting a group project."
Groans filled the room.
Marco dropped his head.
"I hate this already."
Ms. Alvarez began assigning groups.
Names called.
Pairs formed.
Then
She paused.
Looked at Andre.
Then at Esmeralda.
A faint smile.
"…Andre."
"…Esmeralda."
The room went silent immediately.
"You two will work together."
Marco slapped the desk.
"This is favoritism!"
Mario laughed hard.
"…Nah this is entertaining besides I have Anastasia as a partner."
Anastasia smirked.
"…This should be interesting."
Maria looked down briefly.
Then back up.
Smile still there
But quieter.
Ms. Alvarez continued calmly:
"I want to see what happens…"
"…when two minds collaborate."
A pause.
"…You are free to present anything."
"I'm going out of my way to build your teamwork and confidence."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…So don't disappoint me."
Esmeralda turned slightly toward Andre.
A small, knowing smile.
"…Looks like we're partners."
Andre met her gaze.
"…Looks like it."
Esmeralda leaned slightly closer to Andre.
Voice low.
"…You are stealing my spot light."
Andre replied just as quietly:
"… I'm a star so try to keep up."
They both walked out laughing.
After a while the classroom slowly emptied.
Chairs scraped. Voices faded. Laughter echoed into the hallway.
But Maria stayed seated.
Her bag untouched.
Her eyes distant.
Not sad enough for people to ask questions.
But not okay enough to ignore.
From across the room
Rufus watched her.
He had been watching for a while now.
The forced smiles.
The silence.
The way her eyes kept drifting… toward Andre and Esmeralda.
He exhaled quietly.
"…Yeah."
He stood.
Walked toward her.
Maria didn't notice him until he was right beside her desk.
"…Hey."
She blinked slightly, snapping out of her thoughts.
"Oh—Rufus."
He leaned casually against the desk beside hers.
"…Didn't notice I'm your partner?"
She shook her head.
"…Not really."
Rufus nodded once.
"…Well."
A pause.
"…You're my partner."
Maria blinked.
"…Huh?"
He shrugged lightly.
"For the project."
A small smirk.
"…Don't make it weird."
That got a tiny smile out of her.
"…Oh, Ms. Alvarez gave a project."
Rufus glanced toward the door.
Then back at her.
"Yeah. She did."
"…Maria....Walk with me."
Not a request.
But not forceful either.
Maria hesitated for a second
Then stood.
"…Okay."
Outside
They stopped near the back of the school.
Quiet.
No students.
Just wind brushing lightly through the trees.
Maria folded her arms slightly.
"…So… what's this about?"
Rufus didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at her.
Then
"…You like him, don't you?."
Maria froze.
"…What?"
Her voice came too fast.
Too defensive.
"…No, I don't."
Rufus gave a sly smile.
"…Who I'm I talking about."
Silence.
Maria looked away.
"…You're wrong. Whoever you are talking about"
Rufus sighed slightly.
"…You look at him like he's the only person in the room."
A pause.
"…And you look away the moment he looks back."
Maria clenched her hands slightly.
"…That doesn't mean anything."
Rufus stepped a little closer.
"…It does."
A pause.
"…And the way you went quiet today when he got paired with her?"
Silence.
"…That said everything."
Maria's composure started slipping.
Slowly.
She turned away from him.
"…You don't know what you're talking about."
Her voice wasn't as steady now.
Rufus didn't push loudly.
He lowered his voice instead.
"…Then say it."
A beat.
"…Say you don't like him."
Maria's shoulders dropped slightly.
Her breath shaky.
"…I…"
She stopped.
Tried again.
"…I didn't plan it."
A pause.
"…It just… happened."
"I'm in love with Andre."
She finally turned back to him.
Eyes softer.
But heavy.
"…I like him alot."
A small, bitter smile formed.
"…And it's giving me a hard time."
She looked down.
"…Because I don't even know where I stand."
A pause.
"…One minute he's kind…"
"…The next minute he's distant…"
Another breath.
"…And then there's her."
"…Anytime I see them together…"
A pause.
Her voice dropped.
"…it eats me up inside."
Maria let out a quiet breath.
"…I hate that I feel this way."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"…I don't want to."
Rufus nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
"…That's a bad place to be."
Maria laughed faintly.
"…Tell me about it."
Rufus didn't interrupt.
Didn't soften it.
Because he understood exactly what she meant.
"We both feel the same way."
Maria blinked.
Turned to him.
"…What?"
Rufus looked at her.
Calm.
Straightforward.
"…Because you're not the only one."
A pause.
"…I'm into her."
Maria froze.
"…Esmeralda?"
Rufus nodded.
"…Yeah."
Maria stared at him.
"…You're serious."
"…Very."
He slipped his hands into his pockets.
"…And I want her."
Maria frowned slightly.
"…So what… we're rivals now?"
Rufus shook his head.
"…No."
A small pause.
"…We're partners."
Maria narrowed her eyes.
"…Explain."
Rufus stepped a little closer.
Lowering his voice slightly.
"…I think Andre likes you."
Maria blinked.
Caught off guard.
"…What?"
Rufus continued:
"…Maybe he doesn't realize it yet."
"…Maybe he's distracted."
A glance toward the school.
"…Maybe by her."
He looked back at Maria.
"…But feelings don't just disappear."
A pause.
"…They hide."
Maria's voice lowered.
"…What are you saying?"
Rufus answered simply:
"…We fake it."
Silence.
"…Fake what?"
"…A relationship."
Maria Pushes Back
"…No."
Immediate.
Firm.
"…You will push him to her directly."
Her voice sharpened slightly.
"…I still have a chance to get him at this stage."
Rufus shook his head.
"…How are you going to do that?."
A pause.
"…Just so you know you're my only key to getting her."
Maria frowned.
"…So I'm just a tool, right?"
Rufus nodded.
"Yes."
"…If Andre sees you with someone else…"
A beat.
"…we'll know if there's something there."
Another pause.
"…If he reacts."
"…If he doesn't…"
He shrugged lightly.
"…Then you have your answer."
Maria looked down.
Thinking.
Fighting herself.
"…And Esmeralda?"
Rufus' eyes flickered slightly.
But he stayed composed.
"…Same thing."
A pause.
"…If she sees me with you…"
"…we'll see if she cares."
Maria's heart was clearly not okay with this.
But her mind…
Was starting to consider it.
"…It's temporary?"
Rufus nodded.
"…Just long enough to know the truth."
Another pause.
Maria exhaled slowly.
"…And no one gets hurt."
Rufus gave a small, almost ironic smile.
"…That's the plan."
Maria hesitated one last time.
Then
"…Okay."
Rufus nodded once.
"…Good."
"So this is how we start."
As they started walking back
Maria glanced ahead again and saw them.
Andre.
Esmeralda.
Laughing.
Close.
Too close.
Her chest tightened.
But this time.
There was a plan.
And plans…
Always change things.
Sometimes for the better.
Sometimes
For worse.