Chapter 107 107
“Here goes nothing,” she whispered under her breath.
Drawing in a steady breath, Jacqueline walked toward him with measured, almost regal steps as though she wasn’t marching straight into potential humiliation. She slid smoothly into the chair opposite him.
He didn’t look up.
Didn’t even register her presence.
He remained focused on his food as if she were invisible.
She refused to glance at her friends. They were definitely grinning like idiots right now.
Jacqueline cleared her throat dramatically.
That worked partially.
He paused mid-bite for exactly two seconds.
Then resumed eating.
Still not looking at her.
She cleared her throat again, louder this time.
Without lifting his gaze, he calmly grabbed his can of Coke and set it in front of her.
Her cheeks flamed instantly.
Behind her, she heard the explosive, shameless laughter of her ridiculous friends.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly, forcing composure as she popped the can open and took a gulp. He still hadn’t looked at her. She subtly raised the drink toward her friends in a sarcastic toast, earning more suppressed laughter.
Time to recover.
“So,” she began lightly, “why did you take admission so late?”
Silence.
No reaction.
God, what are you? Ice royalty or something? she fumed internally.
“Are you Frosty?” she continued. “Do you communicate in sign language?”
She flashed a sloppy little wave of a signed hello. She only knew a few signs things she’d picked up during a visit to an orphanage for special children but she used them anyway.
And then
He looked up.
Her heart stuttered.
Olive eyes locked onto her hazel ones, sharp and unblinking.
Her palms turned damp instantly. She dropped her gaze not out of fear.
No.
His stare was just… intense. It felt like it peeled through layers of her, straight to the bone.
When she dared to glance back up, he had already returned his attention to his food.
She exhaled quietly.
“So, Mr. Frosty,” she went on, as if she hadn’t nearly combusted under that stare, “I came over to ask if you’d like to be my friend. And before you misunderstand no, I don’t roam around campus asking random guys to be my friend. You’re the first. You should feel honored. Becoming friends with the great Jacqueline is a privilege.”
She paused dramatically.
“Oh wow. I didn’t even introduce myself. That was rude of me.” She placed a hand over her chest. “I’m Jacqueline. Nineteen. Business major which you probably figured out since you’re in the same class.”
Still nothing.
“Oh please, don’t bother introducing yourself. I already know you won’t speak. I’m adapting.”
She leaned forward slightly.
“You’re majoring in business too. Maybe you failed a few times? That would explain why you look like you belong in your final year.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Let me guess your age. I’m excellent at guessing. Twenty-two? Twenty-three? Maybe twenty-five at most. You don’t have wrinkles, so we’re safe.”
Not even a flicker of reaction.
She powered on.
“By the way, my friend is already head over heels for you. Thérèse. Blonde. Perfect nails. Red lips. She wanted your number.” She waited.
Nothing.
“She’s really hot, you know. I don’t usually play matchmaker, but you’d like her. And I have this whole gang two boys, three girls. If you ever feel like joining, that’d be fun. Again, I don’t normally recruit strangers, but Mr.” she paused theatrically, studying him, “you’re not exactly a stranger anymore. We’ve established a very special relationship where you ignore me and I keep talking because I need your number to prove you didn’t ignore me. So… what do you say”
He stood up.
Just like that.
No interruption. No glance. No word.
He picked up his tray, walked to the trash bin, dumped his leftovers, placed the tray on the counter, and strolled out of the cafeteria without sparing her a single look.
Jacqueline watched him go.
He walked like he owned the floor beneath him. Calm. Controlled. Intimidating. Dark energy clung to him like a second skin. She noticed the way girls openly stared as he passed.
Yes, he was handsome.
But honestly control yourselves.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Thérèse appeared beside her, patting her shoulder before dropping into the seat.
Gilles, Laurent, and Fanny followed, settling down with their trays.
“So?” Thérèse sang sweetly.
Gilles tried to hold it in.
Failed.
He burst into loud laughter.
Within seconds, the entire table dissolved into hysterics.
Jacqueline scrunched her nose, folded her arms across her chest, and leaned back in her chair, glaring at the cafeteria doors through which Mr. Frosty had just exited.
Great.
“You were blabbering nonstop,” Gilles wheezed, slapping the table. “You only blabber like that when you’re nervous. And he didn’t say a single word.”
She shot him a murderous glare.
“He offered me his drink,” she said defensively, lifting the Coke can for evidence.
Thérèse tilted her head sympathetically. “Babe, you kept clearing your throat. He probably thought you were choking. That was basic human kindness.”
Fanny covered her mouth, shaking her head as if she wasn’t laughing.
“Whatever,” Jacqueline muttered.
“So,” Laurent leaned forward with a wicked grin, “no funfair for us. Which means you lose. And we get to punish you.”
“Excuse me?” Jacqueline straightened, her smile slowly turning dangerous. “I didn’t say I gave up.”
They paused.
“And none of you mentioned a time limit,” she continued smoothly. “So technically, I’m still in the bet.”
She flashed them her most innocent smile.
“Fine,” Thérèse said. “You have one week.”
“Two weeks,” Jacqueline countered immediately.
“You can take two years,” Gilles grumbled.
“Two weeks,” Fanny voted calmly.
“One week,” Thérèse and Gilles said together.
All eyes shifted to Laurent.
He considered it carefully before grinning.
“Two weeks.”
He high-fived Jacqueline.
She smiled slowly, eyes drifting toward the exit.
“Two weeks,” she repeated thoughtfully. “For Mr. Frosty to finally speak.”
A new mission sparked to life behind her gaze.