Pillowtalk | D. O'B.

5. Won't You Be My Partner?

"The project is due one week from today. Please don't put it off till the last minute, just work on it in your spare time," Professor Hastings calls as the class is packing up their things. "And don't make your partner do the whole thing either. Seriously, guys. Group effort, you're in college, not kindergarten."

Rory can barely hear him over the sound of the music in her ear, the tiny air pod secretly tucked behind her hair as she subtly bobs her head to the rhythm.

She's been listening to music a lot more recently, especially in this class. It helps her drown out her thoughts and focus on the lyrics instead of...something else.

"I don't have time to tell you your partners, so I made a list and taped it to the door," the professor continues. "Please make sure to look it over before you leave and no, you cannot change or swap. Just suck it up and do the work, you're almost done with my class anyway."

Still, only half listening, Rory sighs to herself, pulling her bag over her shoulder before weaving her way through the group of kids all huddling around the door.

She hasn't the slightest interest in this project, much less her partner, and already plans to work alone for as much of it as she can.

Once the crowd has dispersed, she slides up to the door, eyes falling down the list of names until she finds hers.

Placing her finger on the paper, she follows the line of dots across the page until she lands on her partner's name.

Shit.

She'd had a sneaking suspicion that fate would fuck her in the ass exactly like this, especially when she didn't see his name above, but she certainly isn't happy about it.

Immediately, she steps back, looking around for Professor Hastings who's already slumping into his office chair.

"Uh, Professor," she calls as her eyes clock Dylan still at his seat, packing his bag slowly. "I...I need to change partners."

"Rory," the professor sighs. "What did I just say—"

"I know, I know but...I'd really rather work alone," she argues, now turning her back to Dylan so she won't have to see his face. "I promise I'll do the work, it would just be better if I could do it alone—"

"Rory, if I let you work alone, then everyone would want to," Professor Hastings reminds her, leaning forward and folding his hands on his desk. "Group projects help build real-world working experience—"

"But—"

"Dylan is a great partner," the professor continues, nodding his chin towards the boy now glancing their way.

Their eyes meet for a moment, and Rory wants to grimace as she quickly turns back to the professor.

"Yeah, he's fine, but—"

"He's the highest in the class, actually," Professor Hastings tells her, lowering his voice. "And I know you've been struggling, and if I remember correctly, he was tutoring you for a while, no?"

Rory huffs, placing her hands on the desk as well as she leans forward. "Yes, which is why I feel I know the material well enough to do it on my own—"

"Relax, Rory," the professor laughs as he leans back in his seat. "You only need to meet once or twice in person, the rest you can do on your own. You'll be fine."

Her head drops as she sighs, squeezing her eyes shut while she hears Dylan brush past her and head for the door.

Fucking great.

It's been two weeks since the night of the party when she climbed through his window and practically burst into tears when he said he didn't wanna fuck her anymore.