The bell signaling the end of class finally rang. The teacher, still engrossed in his lecture, reluctantly dismissed the class and left with a hint of dissatisfaction. After four morning classes, Alex, a genius with an IQ nearing 200, was drowsy and exhausted.
Alex stretched lazily, and Ben, who was behind him, leaned in weakly, saying, "Hey handsome, I'm starving. Let's go out for lunch. If you treat Jack and me to KFC, we'll acknowledge you as our leader."
"You two are easily bought. Just a KFC meal and you're sold? Looks like I'm destined to be the boss," Alex smirked.
At that moment, a boy approached Alex's desk, looking at Kate inside. He said, "Kate, I'm inviting you to lunch today. I hope you won't turn me down again."
Alex scrutinized this student: about 1.85 meters tall, not particularly handsome but presentable, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses giving him a scholarly appearance.
"I brought my lunch, so there's no need to trouble you, Sam," Kate replied coolly, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Kate, I want to talk to you. You should know how I feel," Sam pleaded.
"If it's about schoolwork, we can discuss it now. Don't talk about other questions anymore." Kate said coldly, lowering her head to look at her notes.
Sam's face darkened, and he said nothing more. As he turned to leave, he shot Alex a glare.
"Handsome—no, boss, just sitting in this seat has already made you a target. Be careful, Sam is the mayor's son and comes from a powerful background," Ben whispered.
"Is that so? Since he's already made me his enemy, I won't let him down," Alex stood up, looked at Kate, and loudly said, "Kate, I'd like to have lunch with you."
The students preparing to leave for lunch, including Sam, who was at the door, stopped in their tracks and looked at Alex and Kate in astonishment. Even Ben and Jack behind him were incredulous. Kate's heart fluttered at Alex's words. Though she didn't raise her head, she could feel her classmates' gazes. Her face grew hotter, her heart raced, and she cursed Alex countless times in her mind, thinking, "What should I do? Refuse him like the others? But I can't bear to. Accept his invitation? But we've only just met this morning. What will the others think?" For the first time, Kate, who had rejected countless boys, felt genuinely torn.
Alex gazed at Kate with deep affection and softly said, "The length of time we've known each other doesn't matter. What matters are our feelings. I liked you from the moment I saw you. My feelings never deceive me."
Kate's mind was in turmoil. Her hands clenched tightly together, she dared not look at Alex. Her rosy lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Seeing her silent, Alex shrugged, smiled self-deprecatingly, and turned to Ben and Jack, saying, "I've tasted rejection too. Let's go eat." He headed for the door. As he neared it, Sam blocked his path and threatened, "Stay away from Kate, Alex, or you'll regret it."
"You don't have what it takes to make me regret anything," Alex replied coldly, pushing Sam's arm aside and walking out. Ben and Jack followed closely behind.
Sam glared venomously at Alex's back, thinking, "Alex, how dare you compete with me? I'll destroy you."
Kate watched Alex leave, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss.
A girl approached Kate and said, "Let's go eat."
"You go ahead. I'm not hungry," Kate replied absentmindedly.
The girl shook her head and left. Kate looked around the now empty classroom, feeling a mix of emotions. She opened her book, but soon closed it again, her mind filled with thoughts of Alex. She realized his image was deeply etched in her heart, one she could never forget.
"Falling for him in just one morning, this must be fate," Kate murmured, looking out the window.
"Falling for whom? Surely not me," a familiar voice came from the doorway. Kate's body trembled, and she slowly turned her head. Alex stood there, holding a large KFC bag.
"Knowing you hadn't eaten, I brought back two portions to share with you," Alex said smugly, looking at Kate's flushed face.
Kate remained silent, simply gazing at Alex with eyes as clear as water, now filled with a new resolve. She silently decided that since she had fallen for him, she would no longer avoid him. The heart she had kept closed for so long was now completely open to Alex.
Seeing Alex place the food on the desk, Kate didn't hold back and reached for a burger. Alex was taken aback by Kate's sudden change and stood dumbfounded by his desk, forgetting to sit down.
"Hey, what are you daydreaming about? Weren't you going to eat with me?" Kate whispered, her shy demeanor making Alex's heart flutter.
"Oh, right. I, I forgot," stammered Alex as he sat down, hurriedly taking out a drink, inserting a straw, and placing it in front of Kate. He also grabbed a burger and began eating voraciously.
Seeing Alex eat, Kate couldn't help but laugh. She put her barely sipped juice in front of Alex and whispered, "Have some drink, don't choke eating so fast."
"It seems you care about me quite a bit. From now on, I'll take care of your lunch and dinner," Alex replied with a mischievous smile.
"I'll eat from you for a lifetime, until you're broke," Kate said, immediately realizing her words were inappropriate and quickly turning her head.
Unbeknownst to them, Sam had appeared at the classroom door, his face livid as he watched Alex and Kate. Hearing Kate's words, Sam could no longer control his emotions and stormed in. Pointing at Alex, he roared, "Alex, you newcomer, do you know my power? If you don't want to die, stay away from Kate."
Alex didn't respond, merely staring coldly at Sam. Fearing Alex might offend Sam, Kate stood up and calmly said to the distorted-faced Sam, "What happens between Alex and me is our business. You have no right to interfere. Please, Sam, mind your manners."
Sam pointed a trembling finger at Alex, then at Kate, and furiously declared, "I'll make you both regret this. Just wait and see." He stormed out without looking back.
"Alex, I'm sorry. Because of me, you're involved in this mess," Kate said, feeling ashamed.
"Kate, don't say that. For you, anything is worth it," Alex replied tenderly, thinking to himself that Sam had better not do anything reckless, or he would ensure Sam regretted ever crossing him.
Tears glistened in Kate's clear eyes, her heart filled with warmth and sweetness. Her usually pale face flushed red, causing Alex's heart to race.
The classmates who had gone out for lunch began to return, including Ben and Jack, each carrying a large KFC bag, bulging with food.
"Did you guys pack all the KFC from across the street?" Alex asked, surprised.
"Boss, you gave us three hundred dollars. Lunch only cost us a little over a hundred, so Jack and I thought it'd be a waste not to spend it all. We even got dinner," Ben said earnestly.
"You guys…" Alex was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by their antics.
In a corner of the schoolyard, three students were smoking and chatting with an air of assumed nonchalance.
"Sam, I found out about that Alex kid in your class. Seems he's not someone to be underestimated," one student said, bowing slightly toward Sam.
"Damn it, I'll destroy anyone who tries to take what's mine, no matter who they are," Sam growled, clenching his teeth.
"Sam, be careful. Alex drives a sports car worth nearly twenty million dollars, with a license plate that says 00000," another student cautioned.
"snort! probably just a upstart. With my family's power, taking him down is easier than squashing an ant," Sam said confidently.
"Exactly, Sam's right," the other two students flattered.
"Let's cripple him first, then see how he dares to compete with me," Sam said darkly, his twisted face breaking into a sinister smile, more hideous than a cry.
Sam's mind was consumed with thoughts of how to deal with Alex, not realizing what that car and license plate truly signified.