The Harvard Law Library was a labyrinth of ancient books, hushed whispers, and the scent of leather and dust. It was four in the morning, and the only sounds were the ticking of the antique clock and the click-clack of Alexandra Hayward's pen as she scribbled notes in the margins of her textbook. Her third cup of coffee sat steaming beside her, untouched and growing cold. The fluorescent lights hummed softly, casting long shadows across the worn wooden tables.
Alexandra pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, her blue eyes scanning the dense paragraphs before her. Her short blonde hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail, highlighting her sharp features and the faint smudge of purple under her eyes.
She was on another all-nighter, cramming for the final exam that loomed large in her calendar. This was it - the last exam of law school. She was poised for Valedictorian too. As long as she got above 75%, she would beat out Jack O'Donnell for the top of her class. And let it be clear, she hadn't gotten below a 93% on any exam in her school career.
Boy did she want to beat out Jack for Valedictorian too. He was such an ass, she thought. He thinks he can just coast by on good looks and charm. I mean sure, he is good looking - he's about 6 feet tall, boyish good looks, and an ever confident smile. He's clean shaven and well toned. But does no one else see how full of shit he is, she thought. Certainly every pretty girl in class didn't when he got them to do his assignments for him.
Oh yes, she's heard plenty of stories of how he slept his way through law school - even once with a professor allegedly. Every girl would come to class the next day with a glazed over smile and a little limp from the previous nights' escapades, which just seemed to entice more girls into his trap. It infuriated her she was battling for Valedictorian with someone who didn't put in the effort she did. She wasn't going to let him win.
But then she heard it. The faint sound of the heavy, oak doors opening and closing. The clack of footsteps grew louder, echoing through the empty halls, until they stopped right beside her. She looked up, expecting the librarian to tell her it was closing time, but instead her gaze locked onto Jack O'Donnell's piercing green eyes. He leaned over the table, his shirt untucked, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows revealing his toned forearms.
"Hayward, I had a feeling I'd find you here." He smirked.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "What are you doing here, O'Donnell? It's the middle of the night".
He grinned, that damn grin that always seemed to charm everyone else. "Well, I know we're both under a lot of pressure for tomorrow's final. And you seem to be studying, like, really hard for this final, which would not help me win Valedictorian."
Alexandra's eyes narrowed. "Well no duh. Not everyone in this class lives to help you get what you want. Sometimes you gotta work for it yourself."
Jack leaned in closer, his cologne wafting through the stale library air. "Well that's what I'm here to do. Take things upon myself."
Alexandra's pulse quickened, unsure of what he meant. He was up to something. She could feel it. She stiffened, her hand instinctively moving to the pepper spray in her pocket. "What's that supposed to mean? Why did you come to find me?"
Jack's smirk disappeared. "To be perfectly honest, it means I'm going to make sure you fail tomorrow's exam the same way I get what I want from every other girl in this class."
She laughed. She knew his type. He thought she was just another one of those girls. "What makes you think I'd ever fall for any of your tricks?"
Jack's eyes narrowed. "Because deep down, you're just like the rest of them. I know you want a break from the books, some fun, a little... distraction." He winked.
Her cheeks flushed with anger. "I am nothing like the other girls in this class," she hissed, her voice low and dangerously controlled. "I've earned everything I have, and I'm not going to let you, of all people, get in my way."
His smirk grew. "Oh, come on, Hayward. You know you've been eyeing me all year. Admit it. You want a taste of what they've all had."
Alexandra's hand clenched around her pepper spray, the plastic digging into her skin. You're delusional if you think I'd ever stoop to your level," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jack chuckled, leaning back. "I'm just saying, you wouldn't be the first to crave a break from being Miss Perfect."
Her eyes flashed. "Get out."
He took a step back, his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. But that's just what Jenny said too at first."
Alexandra looked at him with a mix of confusion and anger. "What are you talking about?"
"Jenny. You know her, right? That sweet little thing from our Civics class?"
Alexandra nodded tightly. She remembered Jenny alright. "What about her?"
"Well," he began, his voice smooth as silk, "She said the same thing at first. She was very uptight, like you."
"And...?", Alexandra spewed impatiently.