I had just finished recalibrating a miniature drone that could brew coffee when Dad called me into the lab. His voice was calm but carried that unmistakable "something big is about to happen" tone.
"Kimberly, I want you to meet someone," he said, stepping aside. My heart did a weird little flip—not because I expected it, but because the figure standing there looked like he could hack into my brain if he wanted to.
Jayden.
Tall, confident, with a smile that was way too charming for his own good. My stomach twisted into a knot. Great. Just great. Dad, why now?
"Kim, this is Jayden," Dad continued. "He's a genius too—thought you two could collaborate on a project."
I swallowed and waved awkwardly. My cheeks heated. Alex, of course, had to step in.
"You see?" he whispered with a grin. "I told you he's cool."
Cool? I don't do guys. I do gadgets. And robots. And drones. Maybe one day, I'll do algorithms that flirt for me. But real-life guys? No thanks.
Dad cleared his throat. "Kim, don't scare him off. Jayden, don't mind her… she's… chaotic."
"Chaotic?" I said, eyes wide. "Chaotic? I'm not—"
"Cutely chaotic," Dad interrupted, giving me that smug little grin I hate but secretly love.
I groaned. "Seriously, Dad?"
Alex burst out laughing. "Admit it, Kim, he's gonna think you're adorable!"
I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. Adorable. Me. Gadget-obsessed, barely-leaving-the-house, socially awkward me.
See, most of the time, I didn't associate with anyone except the people who came into our house. School was… complicated. Some kids thought I was cool. They liked my gadgets and thought my mansion was like a personal theme park. Others whispered behind my back, calling me weird. Honestly, I didn't care. Except when moments like this happened.
Jayden smiled politely, oblivious to my internal meltdown. "Nice to meet you, Kim," he said, holding out a hand.
I shook it… and immediately regretted it. My hand felt tiny compared to his, and I nearly dropped the tiny drone I'd been fiddling with in my other hand. Smooth, Kimberly. Real smooth.
Alex elbowed me. "See? Told you. You two will be partners in crime—or science, anyway."
"More like partners in embarrassment," I muttered.
Dad laughed. "You two will learn from each other. Just… try to keep the chaos to a minimum."
"Too late for that," I whispered under my breath, while secretly hoping Jayden didn't notice the little smirk threatening to curl on my lips.
I glanced around the lab, noticing how organized everything was compared to my usual chaotic corners. Maybe this is my dream coming true—meeting someone who gets the tech world, someone who can challenge me… but I was sure of one thing: I wasn't a "guy person." I was a "gadget person."
At least… for now.
Dad clapped his hands together. "Kim, why don't you give Jayden a tour of the house? Show him what it's like living here—your little world."
I narrowed my eyes at him. Great, a guided tour with a guy I barely know.
Alex jumped up instantly. "I'm coming! You're not going without me!"
I rolled my eyes and smirked. "Suit yourself."
And just like that, the three of us set off through the mansion—me, Jayden, and the ever-chatty, never-quiet Alex. I could already tell this tour would be… chaotic. And there is one place I can't take him. Yeah never do that Kimberly Coker 🤫🤫.
The three of us walked down the long hallway lined with glowing blue panels that pulsed softly like they were alive. Jayden looked around with wide eyes, clearly impressed.
"Wow," he said. "You live in a literal smart house."
"More like a nosy one," I said. "Every light, door, and wall has something to say. Privacy doesn't exist here."
Alex laughed. "Don't let her fool you. She loves this place. Sometimes I think the security drones are her real best friends."
"Only because they listen better than you do," I shot back.
Jayden chuckled under his breath, and for some reason, that tiny sound made my cheeks warm again. Ugh. Embarrassing.
We passed the lab, the kitchen (which cooked automatically—thanks to Dad's code), and the massive library filled with science books and prototype manuals.
"This place is insane," Jayden said, pausing to admire a floating hologram display of blueprints. "It's like walking inside a brain."
"Yeah, my dad's brain," I said with a grin. "Half genius, half chaos."
Alex piped up. "Don't forget the best part! The rooftop garden with the solar drones! Kim built them herself."
I gave him a warning look. "Alex."
"What? He should know! You don't give yourself enough credit."
Jayden turned to me, impressed. "You built solar drones?"
I shrugged, pretending it was nothing. "Just something I worked on last summer. Keeps the garden watered and monitors air quality."
"That's incredible," he said softly, eyes gleaming with genuine admiration.
And there it was—that weird flutter in my chest again. Get it together, Kim.
Alex, of course, couldn't resist ruining the moment. "You should see her old prototypes! One time she made a robot dog that sneezed sparks!"
"Alex!"
Jayden laughed, he actually laughed, and I could feel my embarrassment hit maximum level.
"I was twelve!" I said quickly. "And it wasn't sparks—it was static discharge!"
"Sure, sure," Alex said, grinning like a maniac.
We reached the final stop—the glass elevator that led to the observation deck. The view from up there was breathtaking: the city skyline glittering, the night dotted with drones gliding silently across the sky.
Jayden stared out the window, mesmerized. "It's beautiful," he murmured.
"Yeah," I said quietly. "It's… my world."
He glanced at me, and for a split second, our eyes met. It was one of those weird moments where everything goes quiet—even Alex, which is saying something.
Then, of course, Alex ruined it. "Awww, look at you two bonding already!"
I groaned and smacked his arm. "Alex, I swear—"
He raised his hands, laughing. "Okay, okay! I'll shut up… for now."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at my lips.
Maybe… just maybe… this collaboration wouldn't be as bad as I thought.