"Before we end today's class, I have an assignment for you guys," said Mr. Bennett.

The word 'assignment' instantly made all of us groan and whine. Damn it! I thought I would finally have a free weekend.

Mr. Bennett laughed at the class' reaction. "It will be a fun assignment, I promise."

"Mr. Bennett, you can't put 'fun' and 'assignment' in the same sentence! It just doesn't work that way." said Trent.

"Well, it can be if you tried. You guys will need to pick a fictional book and analyze it. You will need to analyze the plot, setting, characters, conflict, climax, resolution, and the ending. You also have to include the author's writing style and give your insight into the story and its development. You can choose any genre except erotica. I absolutely do not want to know what you guys think about that particular genre." said Mr. Bennett shuddering a little.

"Aw, man," said Trent as he sulked playfully.

The whole class burst into laughter at the silliness of the one and only jokester, Trent. Even Mr. Bennett couldn't resist holding back a smile.

"Okay, okay. This is due by next week and you guys know what that means, right?" He asked with a pointed look.

"Get started on it today." Every one of us chanted in harmony.

Mr. Bennett put on a proud smile. "Good, now class dismissed."

I quickly took my things and left the class to get to my locker because I knew my locker buddy—who also happens to be my best friend—would already be there. As soon as my vision caught her figure, I picked up my pace.

"Nina! You won't believe this. I got a freaking book analysis assignment!"

She casually looked at me as if I didn't just appear out of nowhere. "I believe it, actually."

"I have to read a book, Nina! A book that has so many pages and too many words!" I complained as I rested my back against my locker.

"You're exaggerating, Hera." She deadpanned.

"No, I'm not! You know how much I hate reading. Like why would a sane person pick reading over watching movies and TV shows?"

"Just because you don't like it doesn't mean people who read are insane. Don't discriminate."

And there's one of the main reasons why I love and respect my best friend. Nina is never afraid to call out people's mistakes, assumptions, or wrongful doing or saying. She is an advocate for human rights so she's always making sure that people around her are doing and saying the right things. Even if it was as small as my discrimination towards people who read.

"Fine, that's my bad. But I don't know what to do. I don't know how I'm going to do an assignment that I hate."

"Aren't we all in the same situation? There's always a subject that makes us want to rip our heads off. But at the end of the day, we still got to do well. Because if we don't? Then, we can say 'bye-bye' to college."

Nina and I are somewhat in a similar situation financially speaking. We're both not well off and we both need to get a scholarship to get to college. I can't burden my single mom who is always working so hard to feed me. Nina can't burden her parents who are constantly paying off her mother's hospital fees. So, we both have to excel in our studies. No matter what the circumstances were.

"You're right. But I know I'm not going to do well. I can just see it. But I really can't fail." I said hiding my face in my palms.

"You can always ask Newt. He will be more than happy to help, trust me." She smirked a little.

Newt is Nina's twin brother. And he is an absolute genius. He is able to pass any subject with so many flying colors. He's got it all at his fingertips. Even a fully-funded scholarship to an Ivy League College—he wouldn't tell us which one exactly—has been set aside for him in advance. Literally, everyone knows that he is a glaringly bright kid. I'm honestly jealous of his intelligence.

"Newt? You think Newt will help me? You're kidding, right? I'm sorry but Newt is seriously uptight when it comes to tutoring. You saw how he was when he tutored Ashley, right? Literally threw all the papers up for a dramatic effect. Since then, I haven't seen him tutor anyone else."

Newt's tutoring session with Ashley was an absolute disaster. Ashley was a little slow in picking up the concepts but Newt's patience is as thin as a dental floss string when it comes to teaching. So, naturally, he got irritated to the max and if it weren't for Nina, he would've almost screamed in Ashley's face. Poor girl, it wasn't even her fault. I'm pretty sure she is scarred for life and avoids Newt like the plague.

Nina laughed. "I know, I get it. Even I don't ask my own brother for help. But trust me when I say Newt will help you."

"You really think so?"

"I know so." Nina moved her gaze from me to something behind me. "Heads up, he is currently on his way here."

"Okay, I'll ask him. But I'm going to pick the book myself so he knows that I'm determined on acing this assignment." I said feeling determined.

She rolled her eyes. "Sure."

"Hey, ladies." said a voice from behind me.

"Hi, Newt." I smiled at him.

"I told you not to call us that! That's gross." Nina said in a disgusted tone.

"Oh come on, you're just jealous that I'm awesome and you're not." He grinned.

I failed to mention that Newt is also a crackhead. So, he's technically a crackhead genius.

"That's a bit narcissistic of you but I can't say that I'm surprised," replied Nina.

I quickly intervened before they got into an argument like always. "Newt, could you help me out with an assignment? It's about-"

"Of course!" Newt said without letting me finish as he ruffled my hair with a huge grin.

Well, that was way easier than I thought it would be.

"Oh. Okay. After I get started on it, I'll come to you?"

"Yeah, sure." He said still grinning at me.

"Thanks," I replied with a smile.

"Okay, weirdos. I'm going to my next class so I'll see you later." Nina said.

"We have the same next class." Newt deadpanned.

"Then, let's go, idiot." Nina said and pulled Newt by his ear with him chanting 'ow'.

I laughed at the twins' behavior. We're childhood best friends and I've seen them act like this like a million times, but it will never not be hilarious.

Standing in front of the library. I just came to the realization that I have never once stepped foot into the library before. So, I have no idea what our school library even looks like. But all I do know is that I won't be coming back here, willingly.

Taking a deep breath, I walked inside and found myself in an enormous place that is the library. Wow, I never knew that this place was huge. Like seriously enormous.

"Hi. May I help you?" said a sweet voice from a distance.

That lovely voice belonged to the lady who was seated at the front desk. She looked like she was in her thirties. She wore spectacles that looked similar to what Harry Potter wore in the movies and she had this really beautiful afro hair which was tied up into a ponytail.

A blush crept into my cheeks. I must have looked really lost and out of place for the librarian to ask me that as soon as I stepped in.

"Uh, yes, actually. That would be really great." I smiled awkwardly as I stood in front of the front desk.

"Sure. Are you looking for anything in specific?" She asked with a smile.

"Honestly, I don't even know what I'm looking for. I'm supposed to analyze a fictional book as an assignment." I said scratching the back of my neck.

"Then, you have come to the right place. I think the Young Adult section is just perfect for you. You can start your search there. Just go up the stairs and it's the first few aisles." She finished with a smile.

"Oh, okay. Thank you."

"If you still need help, don't hesitate to ask me again, okay?" She winked.

I nodded and made my way up to the Young Adult section. What does Young Adult even mean? Is that a genre? Damn it, I should have researched a bit instead of walking into the unknown. I could literally be Elsa right now and sing her second famous song.

Just looking at all the bookshelves fully packed with dozens of books were giving me anxiety. How was I supposed to find just one book out of like a million? I already felt like giving up. But unfortunately, I can't. Because my scholarship was on the line and I can't do something so stupid like giving up.

Groaning loudly, I walked into the first aisle and scanned the books slowly, hoping that I could find something that I might actually be interested in.

After a whole of ten minutes, I found myself growing impatient because I couldn't pick a damn book. Why was it so hard? Oh wait, I know. It's because I hate reading! Sighing, I knocked my forehead on the bookshelf repetitively in a rhythm. If only someone could save me from this torture.

"Everything okay there?" A voice interrupted my whiny thoughts causing me to jump in shock.

The moment my gaze landed on the person who spoke, I gasped in shock. Because it was he who was standing in front of me. He is the one person who is feared by the whole school. He is like an actual bad boy. I've heard people say he does drugs and that he's a dealer in a gang. I've also heard that he does illegal fighting. So in conclusion, I'm pretty much terrified of him.

Unable to comprehend that it was me he was talking to, I looked around just to be sure I was not deluding myself. Turns out, he was talking to me because there were only me, the books and the bookshelves. And him, of course. He watched me standing there like a dumb person, not moving an inch and blinking like an idiot in amusement. Sensing that I wasn't going to respond, he decided to take the matter into his own hands.

"I saw you walking around the same few aisles in the last few minutes. Thought I should ask if everything's okay." He said while placing his hands in his front pockets.

Oh. My. God. He saw that? He freaking saw me walking around the aisles like a madman, cursing to myself under my breath? That has to got to top my list of 'Hera's embarrassing moments'. I felt the heat growing on my skin as I avoided his gaze.

I then risked a glance at him and my eyes widened at the sight of him. He had one side of his lips curved upwards, letting his dimples display. Wow. He has dimples! I have literally never seen his dimples before. But then again, I have literally never seen him smile so, there's that.

"Oh. It's just that, uh, I'm supposed to read a book for an assignment." I replied with a timid voice while avoiding his very intense gaze.

He nodded "I'm guessing it's hard for you to pick one because you don't like to read?"

I nodded slowly as I felt my embarrassment increasing rapidly.

He stayed silent for a few seconds making me feel really awkward. I started playing with the hem of my shirt as the silence was starting to become deafening.

"Maybe this could help you." He said as he passed me a paperback titled, 'One of Us is Lying'. "It's an interesting book."

I finally looked up at him and gaped in slight disbelief. "You read?"

Oh my God, why oh why don't I have a mind censor?! That was so stupid of you, Hera!

He chuckled. "What do you think I do at a library?"

Humiliation crept into my skin yet again as I decided to shut my stupid mouth for my own sake.

"Give that book a chance. I have a feeling that you'll like it." He said as he turned around.

It looked like he was leaving so I was about to sigh in relief. But he suddenly halted in his step and turned back around towards me. I immediately got on alert and blinked at him.

"Reading is powerful. You're able to escape to another world and get lost in it even if it's just for a short while." He said with an enchanting smile and walked away.

I finally let out the breath I was holding in. Did that really just happen? Did he really just approach my distressed self? Is this a dream? Am I dreaming? I pinched my arm with force. Okay, that definitely hurt. This is very real. This is as real as it can get. So in conclusion, I'm not dreaming.

And I just had a full conversation with Hunter Knight.