Chapter Title: Mr Casanova
I was livid. Who did this guy think he was? His arrogance was palpable, and for a split second, I wondered if punching him would be more satisfying than dealing with his melodramatic ex-girlfriend.
"Don't mind her, babe," he said suddenly, his voice dripping with condescension as his hand found its way to my cheek. "All she can do is spurt nonsense."
The audacity. His words, coupled with that insufferable smirk, made my stomach churn. I almost laughed—almost—because if he thought calling me "babe" and touching my face was charming, he was dead wrong. It wasn't charming. It was nauseating. Worse, the line was so corny I could practically feel my brain protesting against it. I hated corny.
Still, I bit back my anger, forcing myself to play along. If he wanted a scene, I'd give him one.
"Me? Spurt nonsense?" His ex's voice rose, sharp and shrill. "You can't be serious, Jay! You're just saying this to make me leave, aren't you?" She let out a humorless laugh, her disbelief giving way to outrage.
Her eyes darted to me then, and the venom in her glare was palpable. She didn't see me as an innocent bystander caught in the chaos. No, to her, I was the enemy.
Before she could spit more accusations, I acted on instinct. "Let's go," I muttered under my breath, grabbing his arm with more force than necessary.
The crowd parted as I pulled him through, their curious gazes clinging to us like static electricity. I didn't have to look to know his ex's glare could burn holes through my back.
I kept my head high, my grip firm. I wasn't doing this for him—I didn't even know his name—but walking away felt like the only way to preserve what little dignity I had left.
"Who do you think you are?" I hissed under my breath once we were far enough away.
If this was my introduction to campus life, then I was seriously reconsidering everything I thought I knew about prestigious schools.
...
*
After pacing the hallway like a caged animal, I finally spotted an empty classroom. Grabbing his wrist, I yanked him inside with a force I didn't even know I possessed.
"Sit!" I commanded, slamming the door behind us.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, but he didn't argue. Instead, he leaned casually against the desk, sliding his hands into his pockets as if this were just another routine interrogation.
I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "Explain yourself."
"Explain what, exactly?" he asked, his tone maddeningly calm.
"Oh, I don't know," I said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe the part where you kissed me without my consent in front of an entire crowd? Or the part where you used me as a prop in your twisted breakup drama? You know, the usual."
He smirked. "I thought I was helping you."
My jaw dropped. "Helping me? Helping me?! Let me tell you something, Mr. Casanova. If your idea of 'helping' involves forcing a kiss on someone, then you seriously need to reevaluate your life choices. Immediately."
He shrugged. "It worked, didn't it? She backed off."
"At what cost?!" I threw my hands in the air, pacing like a madwoman. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you know how disgusting that was? You could have given me Ebola! Or—or papilloma virus!"
He blinked, caught off guard. "Ebola? Really?"
"Yes, Ebola! For all I know, you've been swapping spit with every germ-infested person in this campus. And now I'm your latest victim!" I pulled out my hand sanitizer, squeezing a generous amount into my palm and scrubbing like my life depended on it.
He tilted his head, watching me with an expression that screamed amused disbelief. "You're really serious about this, huh?"
"Of course I am!" I snapped, glaring at him. "Do you even understand how shameless you are? What kind of person pulls something like this? What is this, some kind of Korean drama?!"
His lips twitched, and I swore he was holding back a laugh. "You've got to admit," he said, "it was kind of dramatic."
I stared at him, my fury bubbling over. "Dramatic?! Do I look like a Korean drama heroine to you?!"
"Well," he said, his smirk widening, "you do have the attitude for it."
"Ugh!" I groaned, throwing my hands up. "You are insufferable!"
He chuckled softly, leaning forward just enough to make me uncomfortable. "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. That wasn't my intention."
"Oh, it wasn't your intention?" I repeated, voice dripping with sarcasm. "What was your intention, then? To humiliate me? To turn me into the star of your twisted soap opera?!"
"To get her off my back," he admitted with a shrug. "And, for what it's worth, you played the part beautifully."
My jaw clenched. "Played the part? Do I look like an actress to you?!"
"Honestly? You could be."
I let out a frustrated groan, grabbing my bag and storming toward the door. Just before leaving, I turned to glare at him one last time. "And for the record? That kiss was disgusting."
"Disgusting?" he echoed, feigning offense.
"Yes!" I snapped. "And if I catch so much as a cold, I'm sending you my medical bills."
With that, I marched out, leaving him laughing softly behind me.
Slm...