Zoey was new at Stepan High.
She wasn't the type to seek attention or make friends easily. Arrogant to some, quiet to others—she preferred her own space. Observant, self-contained, and guarded, she walked through life as if everything around her was background noise.
But that peace was shattered the day she met him.
Max.
The bad boy of the school. With charm, money, and looks that made girls lose their common sense, Max was everything Zoey detested. He was loud where she was quiet, careless where she was cautious. And worst of all? He knew exactly the effect he had on people.
To her, he was nothing more than a total playboy.
An arrogant asshole.
And unfortunately for her… her new headache.
---
✏️ Classroom
It was Zoey's first day. She slipped into the classroom quietly, not bothering to introduce herself. The last thing she wanted was attention. She took a seat in the back row behind an empty desk and pulled out her notebook just as the teacher began the lesson.
Thirty minutes in, the door burst open with a loud bang.
Zoey raised her head slowly, mildly curious. A boy strolled in like he owned the place—disheveled uniform, lazy grin, and not a care in the world. Everyone in the room seemed to light up at the sight of him.
Except her.
She blinked, unimpressed, and went back to her notes.
The teacher sighed sharply, her patience clearly worn thin.
"Max! Why are you late?"
The boy didn't flinch. He scratched the back of his head and replied, "That's none of your business," his tone oozing disrespect.
Zoey raised an eyebrow. Seriously? she thought, whispering under her breath, "Disrespectful."
The teacher's lips tightened. "Just take your seat," she commanded.
Max shrugged and dropped into the seat directly in front of Zoey. Without so much as glancing at the board, he laid his head down on the desk and tuned out the world.
Clearly, he didn't care about anything—not the class, not the teacher, not the eyes watching him.
And especially not the new girl sitting behind him.
---
🚶♀️ Hallway
Later that day, Zoey was told to take some books to the principal's office. Her arms full, she kept her eyes on the path ahead, mind focused on finishing the task quickly.
Then—bam.
She collided with someone, hard. The books tumbled to the floor.
"Can't you watch where you're going?" she snapped, eyes flaring with annoyance.
When she looked up, her irritation deepened.
It was him.
Max.
The same boy from her class. The same boy who clearly had no respect for anyone.
And now, the same boy standing far too close to her personal space.
He smirked. "Hey, new girl. Miss me already?"
Zoey stared at him in disbelief. Great. He talks too.
Max smirked, locking eyes with Zoey.
"I'm not paid to," he said smugly. "You must be the new girl everyone's been whispering about. Damn, you're rude." He leaned in closer, his eyes scanning hers with a glint of amusement. "Name's Max Hartley. King of this school. And you are… princess?"
Zoey gave him a cold stare. "My info is none of your business. I have better places to be."
With that, she pushed past him and walked away, not sparing him another glance.
Max's gaze lingered on her retreating figure.
"Hmmm... Interesting type."
Then he turned back and rejoined his friends, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
---
🍽️ Cafeteria
It was breaktime. A few students tried talking to Zoey, but she either ignored them or politely excused herself. She wasn't ready to make friends—not yet. Instead, she sat alone in the cafeteria, calmly eating while watching content on her phone.
Then the doors swung open.
Max strolled in with his usual crew—Ken and Nathan. The moment he entered, the volume in the cafeteria spiked. Girls blushed, giggled, and adjusted their hair. All eyes gravitated toward him like he was some kind of celebrity.
Max noticed. He always did.
He smirked, soaking in the attention, until his gaze caught a group of seniors staring at something—or someone—with interest. Curious, he walked over.
"Hey, guys. What are you looking at?" he asked casually.
One senior pointed. "Is that the new girl?" he whispered. "She's really beautiful."
Max followed their gaze—and there she was. Zoey. Sitting alone, quietly chewing her food, oblivious to the stares.
Max tilted his head as he studied her.
Her hair fell loosely around her face, partially hiding the way she frowned at her screen. He noticed how she scrunched her brows—not out of anger, but focus. Concentration. She was beautiful, yes... but different.
Stubborn one, he thought. She really pushed me off like that in the hallway...
"You gonna go for her?" the senior asked.
Max kept his tone lazy. "I don't think that's possible," he said slowly. "She's... different."
Ken raised an eyebrow. "Wait. The Max Hartley is giving up? Over a girl?"
The whole group burst into laughter. Ken nudged him. "That's a first!"
Max grinned, but his eyes never left Zoey.
"You know me better than that," he said smoothly. "I'll be kissing that girl in two months or less."
They all laughed again.
But Max wasn't joking.
Nathan leaned in with a grin.
"Wanna bet?" he said, smirking. "If you date, kiss, or hook up with that girl in two months, we'll give you half the money in our bank accounts. But if you don't—you give us half of yours. Deal?"
Max didn't hesitate. "Deal," he said smoothly. "Let me start working my magic."
With practiced confidence, he strolled toward Zoey's table, brushing a hand through his hair. He leaned close, pretending to admire whatever was on her phone.
"We meet again, princess," he said in a husky voice, laced with a teasing edge. "So, why are you sitting all alone?"
Zoey didn't even flinch.
She looked up and calmly powered off her phone. "What do you want?" she asked flatly, voice utterly uninterested.
Max placed a hand on the back of the chair across from her. "Come on. I just want us to get along. How about we start small? Tell me your likes and dislikes." His smile was dazzling, every inch of him radiating charm.
Zoey leaned slightly closer.
"I hate annoying little boys," she said, voice sharp. Her eyes met his with cold amusement.
Max blinked.
"Annoying little boys?" he repeated, amused but clearly not pleased. "Firstly, I'm not a boy. I'm a man who gets what he wants." His voice dipped lower—cold now, almost threatening. "And I'm trying to be nice."
Zoey tilted her head, studying him like an experiment.
"Are you paid to be nice?" she asked, voice sugar-coated with sarcasm. "Because I just lost my appetite."
Without waiting for a response, she stood, picked up her tray, and walked away.
Max was left staring, genuinely caught off-guard. He chuckled under his breath.
"She's gonna be trouble," he mumbled to himself, a mix of frustration and fascination in his voice.
---
Ken and Nathan watched from a distance. Mia, a girl who had been flirting with Max earlier, pouted as her eyes stayed glued to Zoey.
"So," Ken said, nudging Max when he returned, "she rejected you?"
Max shook his head. "She never said no," he replied with a sly smile. "And she didn't say yes. She's making this game interesting."
Nathan grinned. "Let's go out for a smoke."
The three of them headed toward the schoolyard. Max leaned against an old oak tree, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with practiced ease.
Nathan blew out a puff of smoke. "So, when's your cousin coming?"
Max shrugged. "Don't know. Next week, maybe." He exhaled, staring at the sky. "I'm not really sure."
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen. "Speak of the devil."
He stepped away from the tree and answered. Whatever the conversation was, it kept him occupied for over 45 minutes. When he returned, he tossed the cigarette and looked at his friends with a smile that said nothing good was coming.
Ken raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
Max's grin widened.
"He's coming today... and starting school next week," he said. "This is gonna be fun."