There are exactly three things I can't stand in this world: rain that ruins my hair, math tests before 9 AM, and Daniel Michaels.
Especially Daniel Michaels.
He's the kind of guy who walks into a room and makes sure everyone notices. Not because he's got anything special going on—though I suppose his stupid perfect jawline and those smug blue eyes don't hurt—but because he needs attention. Like oxygen.
And unfortunately, our lives are hopelessly entangled. Same school. Same grade. Same stupid honors classes. Worst of all? We live five blocks from each other, which means I see his stupid face way more than any sane person should.
"I'm just saying," Daniel's voice echoed down the hallway before I even saw him. "If you actually understood the topic, maybe you wouldn't have embarrassed yourself in front of the whole class."
I stopped dead in my tracks.
Here we go again.
"Excuse me?" I snapped, turning around to find him leaning casually against the lockers like he was posing for a magazine cover. "You were the one who derailed the entire presentation with your 'fun facts.'"
He gave me that irritating half-smile that made half the girls in school swoon and made me want to punch a wall. "Fun facts make learning more engaging. Sorry you can't handle that."
"Fun facts are not actual facts if they're wrong, Daniel. Pluto is not a planet, and throwing shade at me won't change science."
He chuckled. "You're really mad about Pluto? Wow, Sera. You should probably chill."
"You should probably try being less of a jerk for, like, one day," I shot back.
The hallway was thinning out, students drifting toward their after-school clubs or heading home, leaving just the two of us standing in the middle of this latest battlefield.
It wasn't always like this. I used to think we were just competitive. I'd beat his quiz score, he'd steal my debate spotlight. Classic rivals. But something shifted in the past year—like he decided his life goal was to make mine miserable.
And he was so good at it.
---
My punishment came swiftly, as always. One comment too many during the science presentation, one eyeroll too obvious, and boom—detention. Thanks to Daniel.
Again.
I grumbled the whole way down the empty hall, wondering why I even tried to reason with him. Maybe I should just start avoiding him altogether.
But the second I opened the classroom door, all my frustration came to a screeching halt.
Because sitting at the desk wasn't the usual cranky Mr. Henson, our vice principal.
It was a man I'd never seen before. Mid-thirties, clean-cut, but casual. Tall, confident posture. He wore a button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and looked more like a TV lawyer than someone who worked at a high school.
He looked up from his phone and smiled. "Sera Winters?"
I blinked. "Yeah…"
"I'm covering detention today. Henson had to leave early." He stood up and offered a handshake. "I'm Mr. Michaels."
My hand froze halfway to his. Wait. Michaels?
He caught my hesitation and laughed, clearly used to that reaction. "Daniel's dad."
My stomach dropped. "Oh."
"I know. I know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We don't look alike. He takes after his mom."
That was an understatement. Daniel was all sharp edges and smug charm. His dad was… warm. Calmer. Like someone who could read you without needing to ask a single question.
I sat in my seat, suddenly very aware of how messy my hair must've looked. "Didn't know he had a dad who showed up."
It slipped out before I could stop myself.
Mr. Michaels arched an eyebrow but didn't seem offended. "Guilty. I work a lot, so I miss the day-to-day stuff. But I try to be around when I can."
He returned to his desk and tapped a few things on a tablet. The room went quiet, just the hum of fluorescent lights and the scribble of a pen.
I tried to focus on my notebook, but I couldn't stop sneaking glances at him. This was Daniel's dad? The same Daniel who acted like royalty and had the emotional depth of a teaspoon?
How?
Mr. Michaels looked up again after a while. "So… detention. Want to tell me what happened?"
I shrugged. "It's complicated."
"I've got time."
I hesitated. "Your son's a pain. He twisted the whole presentation around just to make me look dumb."
Mr. Michaels chuckled. "Sounds like Daniel."
I frowned. "You're not going to defend him?"
He leaned back in his chair. "I know my kid. He's smart, but he's… let's say he inherited a lot of attitude. Doesn't always know when to rein it in."
I stared at him, not sure what to say.
It was strange. No adult ever got it before. Most just thought I was exaggerating or being overly dramatic. But Mr. Michaels said it so plainly, like he saw right through the whole act Daniel put on every day.
"You seem like you don't take crap from anyone," he added. "I respect that."
My throat went dry. Was it getting warm in here?
I coughed and looked back at my notebook. "Thanks, I guess."
Another silence passed. It wasn't awkward exactly, but it was charged. Like something unspoken was floating in the room, waiting to be named.
"So," he said, leaning forward. "What do you want to do after high school?"
I blinked. "What?"
"You seem smart. Driven. What's the plan?"
It threw me off how genuinely curious he looked.
"I want to be a journalist," I said slowly. "Investigative stuff. Not fluff pieces. I want to ask hard questions."
He nodded. "I can see that. You've got that fire. Don't lose it."
His words settled in my chest, warm and unsettling. No teacher had ever spoken to me like that. Not even my parents.
This was… different.
When detention ended, I gathered my things quickly, needing to escape whatever weird spell had come over the room. But as I reached the door, he called out, "Hey, Sera?"
I turned.
"If Daniel gives you too much trouble," he said with a small smile, "let me know."
I laughed—really laughed. "Trust me, I can handle him."
He gave a slight nod, that warm smile still lingering. "I bet you can."
And just like that, the door closed behind me.
But something had shifted.
I didn't know what yet. I didn't want to name it.
But it was no longer just about hating Daniel Michaels.
Now... it was about his dad.