Unspoken

Collisions

The classroom buzzed with chatter and laughter in the absence of a teacher. Selena sat at her desk, flipping through the assignment sheet, while Olivia leaned closer, whispering, "So, how do you feel about working with Daniel in your group?" She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.

Selena shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's fine, I guess. He seems... okay. A little overconfident, maybe."

"Overconfident?!" Olivia snorted. "He's like the king of overconfidence. But Rafael—now he's the perfect mix of cool and composed."

Selena raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, really? Someone's a fan."

Before Olivia could retort, a loud laugh erupted from the back of the class. Daniel, flanked by Marco and Juan, was cracking jokes, drawing attention as usual. Meanwhile, Rafael sat a few rows away, quietly discussing the assignment with Mateo. His serious demeanor stood in stark contrast to Daniel's carefree energy.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Selena mused, glancing between the two boys.

"Probably nothing important," Olivia said quickly, folding her arms. "Rafael's too mature for their nonsense. Unlike Daniel, who probably doesn't even know what a probability question looks like."

Selena chuckled but didn't respond, her gaze lingering on Daniel as he glanced her way. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he smirked and returned to his friends.

At that moment, Olivia leaned in and whispered, "You know they're both acting strange lately, right?"

"What do you mean?" Selena asked, confused.

Olivia hesitated, then shrugged. "Nothing. Just... they've been different ever since you showed up."

Selena frowned, unsure what to make of Olivia's comment. As the classroom noise swirled around them, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing—and somehow, she was at the center of it.

The classroom bustled as the groups gathered, each corner filled with animated discussions, arguments, and occasional laughter.

Group 1

Rafael looked at his group members and laid out the assignment sheet on the table. "Alright, there are ten questions. Let's each pick two to work on. That way, it's fair, and no one's overloaded."

Olivia groaned, leaning back in her chair. "They all look impossible. I don't even know where to start."

Ana smiled warmly, patting Olivia on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll help you. Once we break them down, they won't seem as hard."

Rafael nodded in agreement. "She's right. We'll all support each other. Let's not stress too much."

Olivia gave a small smile, her gaze lingering on Rafael longer than she intended. "Thanks... you're always so calm about these things."

Ana shot Olivia a playful look. "Alright, Miss Complimenter, pick your two questions so we can get started."

Olivia laughed nervously, flipping through the sheet while Rafael gave a small chuckle, unaware of Olivia's blush.

Group 2

Over in Juan's group, chaos reigned.

"This graph stuff is confusing," Julian said, running a hand through his hair. "Can't we just figure it out together instead of splitting it up?"

"That's probably for the best," Juan replied. "But let's be honest—the girls will have to do most of the work."

Laura rolled her eyes. "Seriously? That's your plan? Rely on us because you don't want to put in effort?"

Nuria nodded in agreement. "Typical. Let's just get this straight—we'll handle our parts, and you handle yours. No dumping work on us."

Juan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Relax, Nuria. We'll figure it out. Just don't hog all the easy questions."

Laura sighed, whispering to Nuria, "We're doomed."

Group 3

Natalia, the class topper, took charge effortlessly. "Okay, everyone, there are ten questions. I've assigned two to each of you based on difficulty. I'll double-check everything once you're done."

Pablo nodded appreciatively. "That works for me. Thanks, Natalia."

Marco, however, wasn't as agreeable. "Wait a second. Why did I get the hardest ones? Can't I trade with someone else?"

Natalia crossed her arms. "Marco, these are actually some of the easier ones. You'll manage if you just focus."

Marco muttered under his breath, "Yeah, sure, easy for you to say."

Elena chimed in cheerfully, "Come on, Marco, we'll help each other. Let's just get this done so we can relax."

"Fine," Marco grumbled, still looking unconvinced.

Group 4

In the most peaceful corner of the room, Group 4 was all smiles.

Cristina, with a bright laugh, said, "This is perfect. We've got a great balance of skills here. Let's just have fun with it."

Samantha added, "I'll take the tougher ones—I enjoy a challenge."

David grinned. "You're making the rest of us look bad, Samantha."

"Then step up, David," Marcos teased, earning laughter from the group.

Their lighthearted banter made them the envy of the other groups.

Group 5

Group 5, on the other hand, was anything but peaceful.

Daniel spread the assignment sheet on the desk and confidently said, "Alright, I'll take charge here. Let's divide the questions."

Selena, feeling a little uneasy, quietly said, "I don't mind taking whatever's left."

Daniel immediately handed her the easiest questions, a smirk on his face. "Here, Selena, these will be a breeze for you."

Mateo raised an eyebrow. "Wait a second. Why does she get the easiest ones? Shouldn't we distribute them equally?"

Lucia chimed in, "Exactly. This doesn't seem fair at all, Daniel."

Alejandro leaned back, grinning. "Maybe Daniel's just trying to impress someone."

Selena flushed, her eyes darting between Daniel and the others. "I-I didn't ask for them. I can take something harder—"

"No," Daniel interrupted, "this makes sense. Trust me."

Mateo shook his head, clearly irritated. "This is ridiculous. We need to figure this out together, not based on whatever game you're playing."

The tension at their table was palpable, and Selena silently wished she could disappear.

Group 6

In Group 6, Valeria took the reins without hesitation.

"Okay, I'll lead since no one else wants to," she declared confidently. "Let's divide the questions equally and work independently. If anyone gets stuck, come to me."

Eduard shrugged. "Fine by me. Just don't expect me to know all the formulas."

Joan added with a grin, "Same. But I'll try."

Gabriel laughed. "This is why we made you the leader, Valeria. We need a brain around here."

Valeria rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, boys. Let's get started."

The classroom buzzed with activity as each group worked through their challenges. Arguments erupted, friendships strengthened, and tensions brewed—all while the clock ticked on. Who would succeed, and who might crack under the pressure?