Thank God for Small Favors

Chapter 1

"...Rey Niima and Ben Solo."

"No. No. No." Rey played the syllable over and over in her head. Maybe playing it enough times would drown out Ms. Kalonia's earlier announcement, and she could pretend this was all a bad dream.

The snap of a closing book almost made her jump, and she looked up as Ms. Kalonia set her logbook down. "Alright, now that everyone's paired up, I need you to go to your partners and start planning your project. Let's make this year's science fair the best one yet!"

Students started rising from their desks and going to their assigned partners, some talking excitedly while others grumbled in annoyance. Rey was the only one who kept quiet, fingers curled so tightly, her hands shook.

"Mr. Solo, feet off the desk, please."

Rey looked over her shoulder to where Ben Solo sat in the back row. True enough, he had both feet on his desk, one thick-soled black boot over the other, a scowl etched on his long, mole-dotted face.

"Mr. Solo?"

Solo's scowl deepened, but he relented and did as he was told. He shot Rey a look, and she quickly turned away, doing her best to slow down her breathing.

This was not happening.

Once she had calmed down, she rose to her feet but did not go to her assigned partner. Instead, she approached the teacher's desk.

Ms. Kalonia looked up from her laptop. "Ms. Niima? Is there a problem?"

"Ms. Kalonia, I was wondering if it's possible for me to be paired up with someone else?" Rey asked, somehow managing to steady her voice as she pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I really want to do well for this year's fair and...I was hoping that we'd get to choose our partners like we usually do."

"But you partner with either Ms. Tico or Mr. Storm almost every year," Ms. Kalonia pointed out. "Don't you think it's time for a change?"

"I do, but..." Rey trailed off, eyes darting to where Rose and Finn were talking animatedly. She suddenly found herself envious. The three of them were thick as thieves, and her two best friends would alternate every year as to who gets to work with her. Now, Rose and Finn were paired for the first time, while she was assigned the worst partner imaginable.

"But what?"

Rey pressed her lips together. She was going to have to be honest. "I have this project idea that I'm very passionate about which would look really good on my college application. I just want to work with someone who can be as passionate about it as I am."

There. She said it in the nicest way possible.

Ms. Kalonia sighed. "I appreciate your honesty, Ms. Niima, so I'm going to be straight with you. You're a brilliant young lady and I have confidence that you can pull off the project by yourself. But the reason I partnered you with Mr. Solo is because he could use some help. He is failing almost every subject, and if things remain as they are, he might not be able to graduate."

Rey toyed discreetly with the hem of her pink cardigan. She shouldn't care if Solo didn't graduate. He was bringing that on himself, but she could never really shake off the urge to help others. She knew what it was like to have people ignore your pleas for help.

"He showed so much potential before," Ms. Kalonia continued, her voice wistful, "but then he started running with the wrong crowd. I still believe that potential lies in him though. Maybe all he needs is someone to set a good example for him."

"That someone being me ," Rey thought bitterly, but in the end, she nodded. "Okay, Ma'am. I'll do my best."

"I know you will." Ms. Kalonia smiled. "Now, run along dear. You and Mr. Solo still have a lot to discuss."