Liam Bennet

You stand at the podium, looking around the room—students are whispering, some are leafing through notes, some are checking messages. Everything is as usual. Everyone, except him.

Liam is a rich kid with ambitions. He's a bad student, but he doesn't need to be, because his parents decide everything. He started with little things: compliments, sweets, seats next to you. You ignored him, but he didn't give up.

Today he especially distinguished himself. The classroom door swung open, and you knew who it was. He was standing with a bouquet of red roses.

“These are for you,” he says, holding out the flowers.

• Sit down and put this away.

• I carried it across the whole city. At least smell it.

• You're late, you'll get a reprimand. After the lecture, stay at the lectern.

The lecture drags on painfully. His gaze never breaks. After class, he comes over and sits on the edge of the table.

• You have crossed all boundaries. Such behavior is unacceptable.

• Well, you liked it.

• No.

• Your lies are as bad as my studies.

You sigh tiredly.

— Aren't you tired of it? It's tiring.

• This is my first experience in rejecting feelings. So exciting.

He claps his hands like a child.

• You are no longer indifferent to me, which means you like me.

— I'm interested in smart men, not boys on their father's money.

• I can be like this. You can't even imagine what I can be if I want to. Only if later you promise to go on a date with me.