My day had barely started, and yet I found myself back in Ms. Lu's orbit. Since Baihe mentioned history.
I couldn't help but laugh at her dramatic shift in tone. "What about it?"
As much as I admired Ms. Lu'a passion for history, there were moments when her enthusiasm felt more like a tidal wave than a gentle stream.
"Oh, you haven't heard? Ms. Lu'a assigning this huge project about Constellation theories, and she's already picking favorites for 'special research opportunities.' Yike and I are convinced she's got a master plan to turn our class into the next generation of philosophers or scientists," Baihe said with mock seriousness.
I groaned, instantly knowing where this was heading. "Don't tell me you're already part of this 'special research' group?"
"Unfortunately," Baihe replied, tossing her hands in the air. "Yike is thrilled about it, of course. He is already calling dibs on the weirdest constellation adaptations he can find. Me? I'm just trying to survive. Besides you are in the Science class. We have different schedules."
I smiled, the weight of my thoughts momentarily lifting. Baihe's knack for making even the dullest topics entertaining was something I always appreciated.
"Well, at least it sounds like you and Yike are a good team. Let me guess—Ms. Lu has already gave you some obscure topics?"
Baihe nodded, her expression exaggeratedly grim. "Oh, you bet. We're diving into 'Zodiac Boundaries : The Evolution of Constellations.' I swear, if I have to look at another Zodiac Charts, I might lose it."
Her dramatic groaning pulled a laugh from me, it was a refreshing break from the tangled web of family dynamics and high expectations waiting for me back home.
As the bell rang, signaling the start of the school day, Baihe slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Anyway, you've got this, district champ."
Thanks for the heads-up," I said with a small smile. "See you in other class."
I stepped into the room, I knew my fate was sealed.
On her desk sat a neatly folded piece of paper with the title "Potential Picks" scrawled at the top in her looping handwriting.
She held the paper in one hand while tapping a pen against her desk with the other, her gaze scanning the room like a hawk searching for its next meal.
"All right, class,Good Morning," she began, her voice brimming with authority.
"I've finalized the list of partners for our Constellation Theories project. Each pair will explore the cultural, historical, and scientific significance of a specific constellation or group of constellations. As always, I expect thorough research, innovative ideas, and a presentation that demonstrates not only your grasp of the subject but also your ability to collaborate effectively."
I sank lower into my seat, silently willing her to overlook me. But of course, Ms. Lu was not the kind of teacher who overlooked anything.
"Taryn Wei, you'll be working with Zichen Lin."
My head shot up as the rest of the class murmured in surprise. Zichen, who sat two rows behind me, didn't even look up from his notebook. He just continued doodling in the margins as though Ms. Lu had announced someone else's name.
Great, I thought. Not only was Zichen completely disinterested in anything school-related, but his reputation as the class slacker was practically legendary. This was going to be a disaster.
After class, I caught up with Zichen as he made his way toward the courtyard. "Hey, Zichen," I called, jogging to keep up. "Did you hear what Ms. Lu said? We're partners for the constellation project."
He glanced at me, his expression as indifferent as ever. "Yeah, I heard."
"And?" I prompted, waiting for some sign that he understood the importance of this assignment.
"And what?" he replied, shrugging. "It's just another project, right? You seem like you've got it under control."
I stopped in my tracks, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Look, I know you're not exactly thrilled about this, but I'm not going to do all the work by myself. This project is worth a huge chunk of our grade, and I need you to actually participate."
Zichen sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Why do you even care so much? It's just a grade. It's not like our lives are going to change because we know how some ancient Greeks connected dots in the sky."
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. "Maybe not, but this is important to me. I want to do well, and I'd appreciate it if you could at least try to put in some effort."
For a moment, Zichen just stared at me, his dark eyes unreadable.
Then, to my surprise, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"You're pretty intense, you know that?"
"Only when I have to be," I shot back. "So, are you in or not?"
He tilted his head, as if weighing his options. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. I'll help. But only because I don't want to listen to Ms. Lu lecture me about 'wasted potential' again."
Relief washed over me, though I tried to hide it. "Great. We can start by dividing the research. Do you have any preference for what part you want to cover?"
"I'll take the science stuff," he said, his tone casual. "The evolution of constellations, mapping techniques, that kind of thing. I used to read about astronomy when I was a kid, so I guess it won't be too boring."
I blinked, caught off guard by his admission. "Wait, you're actually into astronomy?"
He shrugged again, but there was a faint glimmer of interest in his eyes. "I wouldn't say I'm into it, but I know some things. My mother used to teach me about the stars when I was little. She said they were like stories written across the sky."
For the first time, I saw a glimpse of something deeper beneath Zichen's aloof exterior. Maybe he wasn't as uninterested as he pretended to be.
"Okay, then," I said, a spark of hope igniting within me. "You handle the science, and I'll focus on the cultural and historical aspects. We'll meet in the library after school tomorrow to go over what we find."
He gave me a mock salute. "Aye aye, captain."
As I walked away, I couldn't help but feel a strange mix of frustration and curiosity.
Zichen might not have been my first choice for a partner, but there was something about him that made me think this project might not be as hopeless as I'd feared.
And who knows? Maybe we'd even manage to learn something from each other along the way.