A/N: editing rn and i wanna die :-)

. . . . .
'ENTERING A NEW ERA.'
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THE AIR CRACKLED like static electricity as I settled into my seat, a tingling mix of excitement and nerves. The classroom buzzed with energy, and my heart raced faster than ever, knowing that the impending business trip was just around the corner. I loved this class, and always have. Every day I'd lok forward to it, and that was probably because it allowed some sort of freedom when coming up with new ideas and grasping the attention from other people — though I hated presenting. I loved dishing out the ideas but for me to stand up in front of everybody was a massive fat no-no.

Let alone standing up and presenting to the likes of Theodore, or Theo. Whatever his name was, him. There was no way!

I staked my claim to a window seat, granting me a sweeping view of the football field and the sprawling campus. I turned back, my gaze wandering over the meticulously arranged tables, contemplating who might end up next to me. Whoever was destined to, I hoped they weren't popular. Those were the worst kinds.

Now, sitting in the classroom with the fan whirling around above me, a book, and a packet of well-deserved sour patch kids in my hands, I inhaled a long and shaky breath. My eyes shut for a prolonged minute or two, my body gathering enough energy to endure this lesson with Callum's stupid nutty friends — who always thought it would be best to sit behind me. I couldn't decipher if they did it on purpose but considering wherever I went they'd be near, whispering and making weird noises, I would say it was likely.

Then, as if by magic — or not — the atmosphere shifted when Callum's entourage, including Theo, sauntered in. They surrounded him like loyal subjects, but his attention seemed fixed on the horizon, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

Theo's piercing green eyes locked with mine, but they weren't scorching me like usual when I saw him. Around his eyes they were soft, not hard and tough, but soft, gentle, and something in his eyes, the very smallest part there, he was telling me something — something I couldn't mistake for an apology. Then he looked away, puffing out his wide shoulders as if he was regaining the control of the situation.

His strides were long, as if he was trying to disappear out of my view and to his seat as soon as possible.  My eyes travelled to his broad shoulders yet again, which was emphasized by the well-fitted Nike navy blue crewneck he was wearing that had the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing an intricate tapestry of tattoos. The pair of blue jeans, hanging low on his waist, that he was wearing were exposed as he rolled out his shoulders, provoking a peak at his lean sculpture — and of course his defined abs. It didn't take Einstein to figure out how hard he worked for that type of body.

The dark strands of his hair, like rebellious tendrils, framed his face, teasingly falling over his compelling green eyes. That was until he combed a hand through them and it stayed back, exposing his perfectly-sized forehead. His skin was glowing, and I hated to say this, but it was almost as good as mine.

All of a sudden, just as he passed me, his brows rose, his eyes meeting mike once again, though only for a millisecond, an unspoken question passing between us both: "What are you doing?"

I had no idea why I was checking him out this thoroughly, but you  know when someone just intruiged you and you can't look away? That was the case with him, and that was purely down to the fact he looked like he was crafted with such perfection by Mother Nature.

Theo's jaw tensed, and it was then that I remembered that he wasn't the only one in the class — that there were other people passing by and claiming their seats. He, in fact, was now gone to the table behind me with his friends and I was staring at absolutely nothing now.

Turning around for a split second, he was leaning against his chair, legs extended in a posture of nonchalance.

I would've stared more if it wasn't for the door swinging open with such force and in game Ms. Gill, laptop and briefcase in her hands before she set it down on her ebony wooden desk. The class quietened down, coming to an abrupt stop.

After she welcomed us all back, and welcoming Theo — surprisingly nicely — into the class, she began to pick up her teacher's notes and went  through all the topics we were going to cover this year. As I sat forwards, hands playing with each other,  chair tucked in neatly, I dreaded for the word "presentation" to come out of her mouth — and to my such impeccable luck, it did!

Someone kidnap me.

But no, she carried on.

"Now, for our group assignment," Ms. Gill announced with a smile, her words carrying a weight of what felt like dread, across the classroom. "You'll need to devise a creative fundraising strategy for this year's charity case. And here's the twist – by the end of the year, the randomly paired teams I orchestrate will present their ideas to the class."

As anticipation settled like a blanket, Ms. Gill produced a weathered black hat that she gave a few animated shakes, amplifying the suspense in the room, before she plunged her hand into its depths. The air, pregnant with expectation, became almost tangible.

This was the worst part.

As she joined up random groups of people into pairs, her eyes met mine, a vague smile scouting her face. "Willow, and.." she paused, her brows stapling together and she determine my fate for this year. I enjoyed business class, I just hoped nothing ruined it. Especially being paired up with someone — people I didn't necessarily like in here.

Excessively, as if she was doing this on purpose, she pulled a piece of paper out of the hat, the attention gliding along the groups of students. The air was thick, hung with a tense of anticipation. I could see the way some of the students were staring at the table behind me, and it wasn't rocket science to figure out why.

A hot gaze was focused on the back of my neck, but it didn't go away even when I sunk deeper into my chair, pulling the neck of my sweatshirt closer to my warm skin.

My eyes met Ms. Gill's, and the dread filled me to the very brim. It was like she was opening the piece of scrappy paper slowly on purpose.

"Theo."

I froze, my eyes widening in disbelief. Theo? This was definitely not what I had expected.

Audible gasps filled the classroom as the reality of the pairing sank in. I could feel the weight of the stares from my classmates as their eyes bore into me. The snickering from Theo's friends only added to my unease.

"Callum's going to love this," I heard Marcus say.

"Wait until we tell him," Another one said.

Callum was probably, and most likely going to murder me. He had this brotherly possessiveness to him that sometimes scared me, but also reassured me. I knew he did it because he thought it was best, but it sometime felt suffocating, controlling. I was a seventeen-year-old who had a life of her own, responsibilities to fill. I didn't need someone to decide whether or not I could speak to a guy.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, I hurriedly gathered my belongings, desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere. But just as I reached the door, a firm hand on my wrist brought me to a halt. I turned around to find Theo standing there, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Is your house on fire or something?" he joked, his voice laced with amusement. I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself.

"No, I just... I need to go," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper: my skin was hot. Burning, even.

Theo raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on me. "You can't run away from this, you know. We're partners now." He crossed his arms over his chest, head titled down at me.

He was right. Unfortunately.

I felt a mix of frustration and curiosity bubbling up inside me. How could I possibly work with someone who seemed so different from me? But, as much as I wanted to resist, deep down, I knew that running away wasn't an option.

With a sigh, I nodded. "Fine. Let's give it a shot." If this meant you'd leave me alone. I hated how many people were looking right now.

Theo's smirk widened, and I couldn't help but notice the spark of excitement in his eyes. Perhaps this unexpected partnership had piqued his interest.

As I tribes to leave once again, noises of hesitation, as if he wanted to say something, echoed behind me. I turned back around. this time a little pushed for time. I had English class to get to, and in the meantime, I had to find Angel.

"Was there something else you wanted to discuss, or was that all?" I sighed, realizing my abruptness. It was a reminder that I had a tendency to be rude at times.

Theo's expression softened, his eyes searching mine for a moment. "Actually," he began, his voice surprisingly gentle, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for how I've acted in the past. I was immature and didn't realize the impact of my actions. I hope we can start fresh."

I was taken aback by his unexpected apology, but a small glimmer of hope flickered within me. Maybe this partnership wouldn't be as tumultuous as I had anticipated.

See what I did there? Positivity.

With a hesitant smile, I replied, "Thank you, Theo. I appreciate your apology.

When I left to find Angel, I processed his apology. Now, due to fate, we were stuck with each other for the duration of the project, and I guess it would be in our best interest to find a way to work together effectively. If that could possibly happen.

But, for now, I was willing to give Theo the benefit of the doubt, and maybe by the end of it, I won't want to slice and dice his manly hood whilst smiling.

-🌷-

The remainder of the day was a complete letdown, and I eagerly awaited its end. Unfortunately, I couldn't head straight home to relax. Instead, I had to work for a few more hours.

After bidding farewell to my friends, I hurried through the school parking lot to my car, too preoccupied with searching for my keys that I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Can't get enough of me?" The rough voice of the person I collided with, asked, confidence coating their words.

I blinked in surprise at their brusque tone, and my heart sank when I saw Theo Willis standing before me, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Him, again!

"Willow, where have you been? I've been waiting for you," my brother's stern voice interrupted my daze, snapping me back to reality. Theo glanced at me, smirking, as he exhaled a puff of smoke before heading towards his car.

I shook off my foolish thoughts as Callum approached me. "Did you hear me?" he waved his hand in front of my face. I nodded softly, and he let out a slight sigh. "I need to go home and practice for tomorrow."

I shook my head. "I have work, and I'm taking the car with me," I informed him, causing his face to scrunch up in annoyance. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Theo and his friends glancing in our direction.

"I need to get back home!" he argued, but I shrugged, unsure of what else to say.

"I have work. Get a license, and you can drive yourself wherever you want. But for now, you'll have to find a ride from someone else," I told him, walking over to my car, annoyingly parked next to Theo's once again. As I made my way to the driver's seat, I held my breath, deliberately avoiding his intimidating gaze.

After successfully inserting the key into the ignition, I wasted no time in driving out of the parking lot. Just before making a right turn, I stole a quick glance in the side mirror and caught a glimpse of Theo. He placed the cigarette back between his lips, and a cloud of smoke wafted into the air as he exhaled.

When I made it to the end of my shift, I accepted the envelope of cash from her awaiting hands. "Thanks, Nicky," I said, internally squealing with delight.

"You've been working hard lately. Well done," she muttered, but fortunately, her kind words reached me. It surprised me to hear Nicky, my boss, thanking me for my hard work, especially considering how unkind she usually was.

"Thank you. See you over the weekend," I waved and made my way to my car. Before heading home, I made a quick stop at the bank to deposit half of my earnings.

I needed to save up for college since I knew my mom wouldn't be able to afford both me and Callum. It wouldn't be fair to burden her. As for my dad, I didn't know anymore. I was unsure of what was happening. Everything felt so confusing, but I tried my best not to dwell on it, knowing that most of it was probably just gossip and rumors.

"Honey, is that you?" my mom's voice called out as soon as I opened the front door. I slipped off my shoes and placed my bag by the stairs.

"It's me!" I called back and walked into the living room to bid her goodnight. "I'm going to bed. I love you, Mom." She leaned up and kissed my head.

"Goodnight, sweetheart." With those words, I made my way upstairs to my room, without any further conversation. My body felt heavy, and my feet were sore and achy. I hadn't had a chance to rest all day.

I quickly changed into my pajamas, washed off my makeup, and jumped into bed. Exhaustion finally caught up with me.

I lay there for about twenty minutes, staring up at the ceiling, my mind consumed by thoughts of Theo.

He was constantly on my mind, day and night. No matter how hard I tried to think of something else, my thoughts always circled back to him. His hair, his words, his smirk, his height, his muscles, and tattoos, and especially his voice. His voice had a hold on me. However, what bothered me was that he was with Stephanie. Over the years I had known her at school, I had seen her with various boyfriends, all of whom were despised due to the cruel things she said about them. But I had a feeling Theo was different. He seemed stronger - not just physically, although he was, but stronger in dealing with her nonsense.

Suddenly, I sat up against the headboard of my bed and grabbed my phone from the bedside table, squinting at the sudden brightness.

Before I could dwell on Theo any longer, I typed his name into the search bar on Instagram, hoping to find his account.

"Wow," I murmured in awe as my fingers mischievously tapped on his profile. He had a significant number of followers, which didn't surprise me.

As I scrolled through his page, I saw a picture of Stephanie and Theo together. He had his arms wrapped around her from behind while she snapped a mirror selfie.

The further I scrolled, the more I discovered. His entire feed was in black and white, mostly consisting of pictures of his car, himself, and him playing rugby and football. My fingers continued to scroll until I stumbled upon a particular picture that caught my attention.

It seemed to be an older picture, as he didn't have the lip ring he currently sported, and he looked slightly younger.

The picture showcased him shirtless, leaning back in a chair, a cigarette wedged between his plump lips, and a backward cap atop his fluffy hair. His eyes met the camera's gaze from a few steps away. As for his outfit, it was minimal. He wore a pair of low-hanging denim jeans, revealing his well-defined V-line disappearing beneath his Calvin Klein boxers.

I carefully swiped past that image and continued scrolling, making sure not to accidentally tap on anything. I had made that mistake before, and it was quite embarrassing. Thankfully, it was only a celebrity and not someone from my school.

Startled, I thought I had accidentally pressed a random button, but it turned out to be a notification instead.

Charlotte, 4:12 PM
Girls, there's a party tomorrow night.

Angel, 4:13 PM
Marcus's party, right?

Charlotte, 4:13 PM
Yes. Same place and same time as all his other parties.

Angel, 4:13 PM
I'm coming. I need some downtime. Plus, my mom's going total psycho about me stealing her vodka last weekend.

Charlotte, 4:14 PM
Shit, you got in trouble for that?

Angel, 4:14 PM

Cadence, 4:15 PM
I would come, but my mom is super wary of that kind of thing. That's why I've never been to one before.

Me, 4:15 PM
Don't worry, Cadence. Neither have I.

Charlotte, 4:15 PM
Not surprised.

Angel, 4:15 PM
If it makes you feel better, guys, you can come to my place beforehand. Just tell your parents you're staying over.

Me, 4:16 PM
Sounds good.

Cadence, 4:16 PM
Oh, alright then :)

I exchanged a few more messages before turning off my phone and plugging it in to charge.

Tomorrow would be my first-ever party. I didn't know how to feel. I knew my mom would tell me not to drink and all that stuff, but I would be careful. Plus, I had my friends to look out for me.

As I nervously bit my nails, I threw the covers off me and rushed to my closet, desperately searching for something - anything - to wear to the party. Thankfully, I didn't have any late shifts at work until the weekend, so I could relax.

I frantically scanned through my closet, but nothing screamed "PARTY."

Then, I remembered the dress my mom had kindly bought me.

I retrieved the dress from its untouched bag, feeling the silky fabric flow through my fingers. It was the best dress I owned, actually, the only nice dress I owned.

I peeled off my pajamas and slipped into the dress. I raised my arm and then reached down to zip it up, struggling a bit. Groaning in frustration, I finally managed to zip it up after changing positions a few times.

I stood in front of the mirror, gazing at my reflection. I felt beautiful every time I wore this dress... and now I could finally wear it to my first-ever party.

I quickly snapped a picture and sent it to my friends, smiling as they replied almost instantly.

Cadence, 4:23 PM
I LOVE IT!!

Angel, 4:24 PM
That dress looks incredible on you :)

I thanked them quickly and slipped back into my pajamas, hanging the dress on a hanger before settling back into bed.

For the rest of the night, I couldn't help but stare at the dress, eagerly awaiting the next day.

My friends and I left school together. Angel suggested we go to her house to get ready since her mom was cool with us attending the party, unlike our own parents who probably wouldn't be as lenient.

Cadence decided to ride with me, while Charlotte joined Angel in her car. "Turn left," Cadence instructed, and I followed her directions. Cadence turned up the radio and began singing into her hand. I must admit, she wasn't the best singer, but it was amusing to listen to her.

"I can't wait to party!" she exclaimed.

"Me neither," I agreed, rolling down the window slightly to let in some fresh air. My blonde hair danced in the wind, and even the sun seemed brighter today. I