Chapter 3 I Don't Even Like Him

I sat rigid on the wooden bench, fingers twisting the hem of my uniform. There had to be some way to request a new partner. I couldn't be stuck with him for the rest of the year.

My gaze kept sliding toward Kieran despite myself. After that first charged look, he hadn't glanced my way again. His jaw was locked tight, lips pressed into a hard line like he was already regretting every second of this.

Greta leaned closer, her voice low. "I got paired with a third-year who actually smiled at me. Gray streak in her hair, looks like she might not bite. You, on the other hand, look like you swallowed something sour."

I pressed my lips together. "It's bad, Greta. He's the one who evaluated me."

Her face took on a curious expression. "Okay, so what is wrong?"

"He basically said someone like me doesn't belong here."

Greta's face scrunched up. "What? Tell me you are kidding."

"I am absolutely serious." I let out a deep groan. "I wasn't supposed to see his rude face again."

Greta grabbed my right hand. "It is okay, Hazel. I am sure something can be done." She gazed toward Kieran. "You know, now that I think of it, his name sounds really familiar. Almost like I have heard it before."

I felt little comfort from her words, but I was glad to be roommates with someone like her. It made this place suck a little less.

The professor finally finished listing the pairings. He closed the book and faced us once more. "I hope you can learn from each other. Now, while the first years just had a simple evaluation, it gives us baseline data for your ranking."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd again. The professor lifted one hand. A pulse of blue light shot across the hall. Several students gasped as a massive list suddenly appeared on the wall behind him. The words glowed silver against a dark background, shifting slightly as if alive. Names filled the board in neat columns.

"Here are the rankings as of now. As you can see, first years sit at the D rank."

I scanned the board. There were sections labeled A through D with names under each. At the very top sat a special section named S rank.

"These rankings are obtained from both your academic performance and your evaluations," the professor continued. "They determine privileges, training access, and in extreme cases, continuation in this academy. From your evaluation today, you get your first ranking."

The names of the first years were arranged alphabetically, but then they suddenly rearranged themselves. Everyone scanned the list, searching for their names. My heart thudded in my chest as I searched from top to bottom.

I went lower until I spotted my name close to the very bottom.

Hazel Aradia.

Number sixty eight out of the seventy first years.

The world seemed to go quiet around me. My face went cold. I stopped breathing for a moment. The number burned into my eyes, and I stared at it too long, like it might change if I looked away and back again. My fingers went numb around my necklace.

People started talking about the current rankings, their voices muffled and distant.

The professor continued. "Now for those of you who don't know, the S rank sits above all ranks. Only elite members of the academy who give their top performance can get there. Which is why, as of now, only five students sit in that rank."

Everyone turned to look at the names again. I forced myself to scan the S rank section, and one name caught my eye immediately.

Kieran Pierce. Number two in the S rank.

When I glanced toward him, he was already looking in my direction. He looked away the moment our eyes met.

Greta whispered beside me, "Oh, that is why he sounded familiar. He has been one of the best at the academy since he got to second year. Everyone here knows who he is."

Did that give him the right to look down on others? Absolutely not.

I turned toward Greta. "What else do you know about him?"

She shrugged, a careful look in her eyes. "Mostly stuff from my brothers about him being very good and all." She paused. "But I heard he is very private about a lot of things, almost to the point where he might be secretive. I didn't really like the impression I got." She gave me an encouraging smile. "I am sure it will be okay. Just be careful."

I nodded and resisted the urge to glance at him again. Maybe I could still find a way out of this pairing. I couldn't be partnered with someone who disliked me at first sight, even though the feeling was mutual.

After the professor gave us a bit more information, he told us to return to the dorms for the day. A few students shifted as he stepped away from the podium.

Before I could move, I saw Kieran make a beeline for the professor. My stomach tightened. Was he trying to get rid of me already?