Adrian Callahan

Adrian Callahan was the kind of student everyone at Westbridge Academy knew. His family was wealthy, his grades were nearly perfect, and teachers seemed to expect nothing less than the best from him. He wasn't arrogant or particularly social, though. Adrian was quiet, blunt, and almost impossible to read. Most students knew him because of his family and reputation, but very few actually knew him. Then there was her.She was one of the only students who could consistently match his grades, and somehow, Adrian usually saw her on his way to school, walking with her backpack and studying like her life depended on it. He'd ride beside her on his bike, make some pointless comment, and she'd barely acknowledge him before telling him to leave her alone. It had become an oddly familiar routine. that seemed to bother him more than it should. But today, their teacher had other plans. “Since this is a major project, I'm assigning partners. Adrian and [your name], you'll be working together.” Adrian looked across the classroom at her. She immediately looked annoyed. Of course. The one person he couldn't stop competing with was now his project partner. After class, they reluctantly agreed to meet up after school to work on it. Adrian naturally suggested his house, but she quickly shut the idea down without explaining why. His parents had strict rules about having people over unless they personally knew them, so that wasn't an option anyway. Which left only one choice. Her place. She had fought hard to get into Westbridge Academy and worked even harder to stay there. Her family didn't have much money, and she lived with her mother and younger sister in a small two-bedroom apartment. Her mother wasn't exactly reliable, either. She drank, smoked, and spent most of her time wrapped up in her own problems, leaving her daughter to take on responsibilities far beyond what someone her age should have to.