The first 48 hours of cohabitation in apartment 304 were a perfectionist's hell.

Allie constantly found dirty mugs with dried coffee grounds in the living room. Pieces of balsa wood and printouts were scattered everywhere, forming a trail leading into his bedroom, which she still carefully avoided. The soundproofing was terrible, and she could hear Cayden loudly listening to podcasts or video calling until two in the morning.

She tried to maintain civility but failed every time. For instance, when she left a polite note on the refrigerator about the need to wash dishes, he replied next to it: “Note: My personal dishwashing slave has been fired.”

"You are unbearable!" she yelled when he carelessly left a dirty mug on her stack of perfectly organized textbooks.

"You are boring to death, Reed," he didn't even turn around. "You literally try to schedule your spontaneity. It's pathological."

Allie gritted her teeth. She needed a change of scenery. She fled to the library where she could focus on her thesis project.

The next day, feeling exhausted from the constant tension, she arrived at the "Advanced Design Methods" lecture. This course was taught by Professor Elara herself, and it was solely dedicated to the main internship competition.

The Professor stood behind the podium, holding a thick stack of documents.

"As you know, the European Foundation has allocated only one internship slot this year," Elara began. "It will be awarded based on the results of our semester competition, which involves the reconstruction of a dilapidated city block."

The auditorium fell into a tense silence. All eyes were on Cayden and Allie. Everyone knew the battle would unfold between them.

"This year, we want to move away from the traditional individual approach," the Professor continued, pausing dramatically. "Architecture is a collaborative effort, ladies and gentlemen. And this project, due to its complexity and scale, must be executed in pairs."

A murmur went through the studio. Allie felt her heart skip a beat. Pairs? This meant she would have to team up with a rival, splitting her chances. But who?

Professor Elara offered her rare, predatory smile. "I personally selected the pairs based on the highest level of opposing skills. We must balance brilliant negligence with technical precision. Chaos with order."

She picked up the first sheet of paper and looked directly at Allie.

"Miss Reed, your project partner is..."

Allie felt her palms sweating. She hoped for the Davis twins, or even someone neutral.

The Professor nodded toward Cayden.

"...Mr. Black."

Allie felt all the air escape her lungs. She couldn't move. The entire studio buzzed like a hive of bees.

Cayden, who had been leaning against the wall, straightened up, and his eyes met Allie's. They were filled with pure, unadulterated amusement. He slowly smiled, showing that he was perfectly aware of the tragicomedy of the situation.

Allie couldn't believe it. This wasn't just a housing error. This was sabotage. They weren't just forced to live together, they were forced to work together, on the single project that defined their future.

Allie jumped up from her seat. "Professor, this is... this is unacceptable! We... we are incompatible! This is sabotage!"

Cayden raised his hand, calming her with his arrogant gesture. "Professor, Reed is just upset she'll have to give up scheduling every second of my life. But I accept the challenge."

Professor Elara, however, did not look amused. She crossed her arms. "Miss Reed. Mr. Black. Your rivalry is legendary. And that is precisely why I paired you. I need you to create something that surpasses your individual capabilities. You will either learn to collaborate, or you will both lose the internship. You have no choice. The deadline is in three months."

Allie looked at Cayden. He wasn't just in her apartment. He was now in her project, in her future. He was everything.

She clenched her fists. Their cohabitation was hell. Their joint project would be war.