Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 19

Ria's POV:

The bookstore's door chimed as Layla and I stepped out, sunlight streaming down on us, warming our skin as we wandered back toward campus. We were still buzzing with energy, our conversation about "Shatter Me" weaving between us like an electric current.

"I mean, Warner," Layla was saying, her hands gesturing animatedly. "Who would've thought he'd have so many layers? It's like, at first, you want to hate him, but then you just... can't."

"I know!" I agreed, nodding. "And the puppy scene—Ughhhh. He's complicated. You start thinking he's the villain, and then suddenly, you're rooting for him."

"Exactly," Layla said, her eyes sparkling. "And that chemistry between him and Juliette? It's off the charts. Every time they're in a room together, it's like—bam! Tension everywhere."

"Totally," I laughed. "That's what makes the book so good. It's not just about the plot; it's about how the characters interact, how real they feel."

As we walked, I noticed a guy with tousled brown hair moving toward us. I recognized him from my cognitive psychology class, though his name escaped me. He'd was standing and listening next to Sophia—I think her name was—in the lecture hall, watching quietly as I had my exchange with Professor Langley a few weeks ago. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now he was heading straight for us.

"Hey, Ria, right?" he said, stopping in front of us with a tentative smile.

I blinked, surprised that he knew my name. "Uh, yeah..."

"I'm Bryce," he introduced himself, his smile growing a bit more confident. "We're in Cognitive Psych together."

"Oh, right," I said, nodding. "I remember seeing you there."

Layla's eyes darted between us, a hint of amusement on her lips as she clearly enjoyed the interaction. "Hi, I'm Layla," she chimed in, giving Bryce a friendly wave.

"Nice to meet you," Bryce said, acknowledging her before turning back to me. "I've been meaning to say something to you after class for a while now, but I always somehow miss you."

"Oh, okay," I said with a shrug, trying not to seem as awkward as I felt.

Bryce hesitated for a moment, then took a breath. "I just wanted to say that what you did for Professor Langley at the start of the month—it was really cool. Those guys were being douchebags, and you totally turned the situation around. Not everyone would have done that."

I blinked, taken aback that he'd noticed something so small. "Oh, uh, thanks. I just didn't want her to feel bad."

"Still, it was nice," Bryce continued, his tone sincere. "You've got this way of making people feel better, even if you don't know them. I've noticed you do it a few times already."

Well, that's not creepy at all.

I glanced at Layla, who was grinning like she'd just found out the juiciest piece of gossip. "Well, thanks," I said, unsure of what else to say.

Bryce seemed to take my uncertainty in stride, shifting gears. "Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to grab a coffee sometime. I know we don't know each other that well, but I thought it could be fun to chat outside of class."

Oh, fuck. My brain short-circuited. He's asking me out.

"I—uh—" I stammered, trying to think of a way to respond without sounding like a total idiot.

"Yeah," Bryce continued, his tone light but with a hint of something more. "And I've noticed we've been making a lot of eye contact in class recently, so I just though you might be interested."