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**Title**: *When the Bell Rings*
**Main Characters**:
**Lena Carter** – A fiercely independent, top-of-her-class student with a sharp tongue, a love for poetry, and a deep secret she keeps hidden from everyone. She hates distractions, especially arrogant jocks.
* **Jace Rivera** – The popular, smooth-talking star of the basketball team who never seems to take anything seriously—except maybe his rivalry with Lena, which started in sophomore year over a debate club argument.
They've despised each other for three years.
Now they're stuck together for a senior-year English project worth 50% of their grade.
And suddenly, all that hate? It starts to look a lot like tension. The kind you can't ignore.
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**Chapter 1: Tension in 3rd Period**
(*Excerpt to get you started*)
Lena Carter's day had already gone south, and it wasn't even 10 a.m.
First, she spilled coffee on her favorite hoodie. Then her brother borrowed her bike without asking. And now—now she was staring at the one name she'd sworn she'd never work with again.
**Partner: Jace Rivera.**
Mr. Dalton clapped his hands from the front of the classroom. "This project is about tension and transformation in literature. So I've paired you with people who will challenge your perspective. You'll thank me later."
Lena resisted the urge to groan.
Jace didn't. "Seriously, Mr. D?" he said with a lazy grin, leaning back in his seat like this was all a joke. "Lena and I might actually kill each other."
There were a few laughs. Lena didn't join them.
She glared at Jace across the aisle. "Only if stupidity is contagious."
Jace smirked. "Guess we'll find out."
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