"As you all know, in this school we have a pairing system." The teacher in front of us remarked, too busy jotting down on the board to notice that Dion was not paying attention. "We will be conducting an exam, those who scored the highest will be paired with those who had low marks, in order for them to do better in the whole semester."

With my chin resting on top of my palm, I could not help but smile in joy. Thank God for my vivid memory of this particular scene in the past, both Dion and I scored a 100 percent so we were not partnered up with each other as much as to my dismay at that time since I was already growing feelings for him at the first day of school but as I said, NOT TODAY. This is not the time to be gaudily in love with him for the second time.

After the teacher explained all the details of this partnering system which I did not bother to listen to since I already know about it, he gave us the test papers and instructed us to begin. I saw Dion answering on his paper swiftly like he does not even bother to read them, well as expected for him who always placed second after me. I snickered quietly as to not alarm the professor who kept circling around the room, I already know Dion and I will never be partners.

I looked down on my exam sheet so I could easily finish it without breaking a sweat. Proudly, I read the very first question. Which of the following is a large blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart?

Um, what?

I know I thanked God for my wonderful memory of this particular event of having an exam but why did I not remember these kind of questions?! If only I had known I will be relieving this blissful high school moments then I should have not discarded everything I learned so easily back then thinking that I do not need it in my everyday life.

I stared blankly at the empty sheet, I hysterically picked it up and pulled it nearer to my face to scan all the jaw-dropping questions. How far is the sun? Who invented the pendulum? Who discovered this, who discovered that yada yada science stuff.

None of these questions makes sense to me, I do not recall a single thing about science class because it was the class where I get to sit behind Dion and instead of actually listening to our strict and profound science teacher, I just basked lovingly at the sight of his brown messy hair and at the nape of his neck which is of course not weird at all. Of course, if I was called out to answer a question, Dion would always whisper to me the correct answer so I thought that I do not really have to listen closely to class.

Dion must have noticed the abrupt behavior of mine trying to remember the answers to these difficult questions that he stopped answering and looked at me, he looked concerned as he furrows his brow that he insisted for me to copy his answers.

"What are you doing? This is not right." I hissed at him, quietly, since getting caught would mean being humiliated at the corridors for a whole hour.

"Sorry, I thought you needed help so I-" He stopped his sentence midway since the roaming professor was just in front of us, keeping an eagle eye at everyone to make sure nobody cheats. This is a pairing system that would last for the whole 2 years so he has to make sure no one dares to deceive him.

As much as I want to get a full mark to avoid being partnered with Dion, cheating is never an option for me. Although contrary to the part where I'm cheating time, destiny and fate with this time-traveling shenanigan, cheating in an exam is something my consciousness can't take so I closed my eyes in utter defeat and accepted the cruel outcome that will soon befall me once the scores are out.

-

"Allison Alvarez who got a score of 4, will be partnered with Dion Aoki who scored the highest with a full mark of 50." The professor announced and everyone almost erupted into laughter since they saw how confident I am at the start of the exam thinking I would get full marks. However, I do not know what is worse in this situation of mine, the fact that I got the lowest score or me being Dion's partner for the whole school year. I am unsure if this will affect the future since Dion is present here, my obvious love interest, then it may affect my admission to any colleges so I am a bit angsty about this result.

Originally, since both Dion and I scored the highest, we were partnered up with different people. I was partnered with my best friend Kore Lovell who scored an average since she was sick on the day of the exam but in truth, she is in par with me and Dion's intellectual ability. As for Dion, well, he was partnered with Vannesa Quinn, my very distant cousin who back then had no interest with him but later on pursued him like hell once she learned that I have a huge crush on him.

I had my face buried on my desk, too much that I wished there is some kind of hole in here so I could hide whenever I feel judgemental eyes preying on me. If only Dion isn't here right now then I would definitely do anything as I please like kick the teacher's table to provoke those scumbags who judge people for getting a low mark.

"Ali, you scored a 4?" I heard the most irritating high-pitched voice that I least wanted to hear the most in this early morning. Without raising my head because she is not worthy to be seen by my eyes, I replied harshly.

"What is it now, Vannesa? Can't you see I'm busy?"

She scoffed as if to mock me, although I could not see her right now I am a hundred percent sure she had her hand placed over her mouth like a villainous queen. "I am only worried since you never scored this low before, I should tell your mother about this."

"Yeah, right. Do whatever you want." She is definitely going to tell my mom about this, she wants attention after all.

"Vannesa, give her some space," Dion interjected, also the last person I wanted to hear this morning. What am I going to do about him, how could I possibly distract him from his growing feelings for me?

"Shut up Dion, don't think I forgot about that shoe incident when we were kids. Because of you throwing that shoe at me, I lost all the good reputation I had." I could hear Vannesa's voice go to the other side meaning that she turned around to fuss at Dion's face.

"Wait, what? Dion threw the shoe?" I sat up and looked at Dion, although Vannesa was babbling nonsense about her hard earned reputation which never really exist, Dion was just looking past her and had his soft gaze locked on me. He flashed a thin smile and winked at me, for a moment there I felt my heart squeeze in delight that I had to slap myself to bring myself back to the reality.

From the loud slap sound that my palm made after colliding with my cheeks, everyone turned their heads to look at me. I panicked and walked out of the room, tired of being the center of attention, besides it is already break time so walking out would not be a problem.

Vannesa still thinks that Dion was the one who caused an uproar during her play by throwing a shoe at her, which means he took the fall for me. Why on earth would he do that?

Sooner or later, I heard echoing footsteps from behind me. I assumed it was Dion since he has become clingy ever since because I saved him from his bullies so I immediately turned around to brush him off but it turned out to be Kore.

"Kore!" I hugged her as soon as I got the chance which obviously confused her since maybe we just met yesterday. Kore left the country after she graduated, and we never had any means of contacting each other since then because she is a journalist who basks in danger almost all the time.

"Ali, what is with the hugging? You did not even notice me in class and now you are being this clingy." She reluctantly hugged me back, probably noticing my demise as well as my longing for her presence. She always knows what is up with me even if I try to hide it and she would always come up with a solution or anything that would help me.

That internal reminiscing of mine just gave me an idea as to how to properly execute my plans, I broke our cheesy hug or reunion if I may call it and just dropped my problem to her.

"I came from the future and I will disappear in less than 3 months if I don't avoid Dion," I said with utmost sincerity and a determined look.