Bella's Hunt

ONE

"Hunter Stone?" I hear my voice shake as I stare at my Chem teacher.

"Yes, Isabella." She nods slowly. "Hunter Stone is to be your lab partner for the rest of the semester."

"Hunter Stone?" I ask again, but it comes out as more of a whine.

She snorts quietly, "Yes, Isabella. Hunter Stone."

"Can I please be paired with anyone else? Please?" I bite down on my bottom lip as I stare at her.

Last week my lab partner, Arthur Hayes, also known as the captain of the lacrosse team, was playing in one of the games. And one of the players on the other team broke his leg. And now he's in the hospital for who knows how long.

Even though Arthur was a complete idiot, got hit in the head with a lacrosse stick too many times, I way rather prefer him than Hunter Stone.

Hunter Stone... He was the school's 'bad boy'. And every single girl was in love with him. He's a walking cliche.

"Isabella, there's no one else you can be partnered with." She answers.

I grit my teeth to keep in the groan that wishes to escape. "Then can't I work alone? I already have an A by doing assignments on my own."

"It's out of the question." She shakes her head, obviously annoyed. "It's already settled. Hunter will begin being your partner next week."

"Miss Henley, please." I walk around her desk to be right next to her and her eyes widen. "Please do not pair me with Hunter."

"Isabella." She grabs my shoulders and shakes me back and forth. "He's already your partner. You have to deal with it. Only for a few months."

This time I let the groan escape as I roll my eyes. "If my grade goes down because of him-"

"It won't," this time she rolls her eyes and releases my shoulders. "Hunter is a smart kid, Isabella."

"Street smart, maybe." I blurt and she smirks. "I highly doubt he's school smart. His grades are probably all D's."

"Where is your optimism?" She crosses her arms over my chest.

"Up my ass," I state without realizing what I had said.

Instead of scolding me for my foul language, she laughs. "You're just going to have to get along with him, Isabella."

I sigh heavily, "That's impossible." I declare and her eyes flicker behind me. "But I'll try to make it work. For my grade."

"Of course." She looks back at me with a slight smile.

I sling my bag over my shoulder and when I turn around, I stop in my steps. My lip curls up in disgust automatically when I see the tall dark haired boy standing in front of me, dressed in a black v-neck and dark jeans. He's wearing his stupid smirk and his green eyes are dancing up and down my body.

Hunter Stone, ladies, and gentleman. In the fucking flesh.

"Enjoy each other," Miss Henley calls and I turn to her with wide eyes, "not literally though." She walks out of the room smiling innocently at us.

My eyes flicker back to Hunter who's already staring at me again as if he didn't look away. I grit my teeth as I walk past him out of the lab.