✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿ The Thread that bind Us ✿⋆·˚❀˚·⋆✿

The Unexpected No

 "Oh, Risa, you can't be serious!" her best friend, Jess, exclaimed, nearly spilling her soda. They sat at their usual spot in the cafeteria, surrounded by the clamor of a hundred conversations.
"Serious as a heart attack," Risa replied with a smirk, her dark hair swinging as she leaned back in her chair. "I mean, can you believe it? Me, the queen of flirtation, proposing to the quietest guy in school!"
 Jess giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And he totally turned you down! I still can't get over that. Who does that?"
"Someone who clearly has no taste," Risa said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "But I thought he'd at least blush or something! I mean, I'm Risa Anders."
"Noah White?" Jess raised an eyebrow, stifling a laugh. "You thought he'd react like all the other guys? Like, 'Oh Risa, how could I ever resist your charms?'"
"Exactly!" Risa threw her hands up, her voice rising above the din. "But no, he just looked at me like I'd sprouted a second head."
"More like he was terrified," Jess teased, her laughter ringing through the air. "You proposed in front of the whole class!"
Risa sighed, a mix of amusement and frustration dancing in her eyes. "I thought it was romantic. A little spontaneity never hurt anyone."
"Romantic? More like a public execution! Poor Noah probably thought you were going to throw him a surprise party next," Jess said, wiping a tear from her eye. "But really, what did you expect? He's not exactly the type to jump into your arms."
Risa leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But that's what I liked about him! He was different. I couldn't charm him with just a wink and a smile. It was... refreshing."
Jess's expression softened. "So, you were actually serious about him?"
 Risa hesitated. "I mean, I thought I was just playing around. But deep down, I wanted something real. Something that wasn't just another fling."
"Real? With Noah?" Jess scoffed, but there was a hint of protectiveness in her tone. "He's like a shadow, always hiding in the corner of the room."
"But shadows can be intriguing," Risa argued, her voice wavering. "He's smart, you know? He's always reading those massive books. I think he might actually have a heart under that quiet exterior."
"Sure, and so does a rock," Jess quipped. "You really liked him, didn't you?"
"Maybe I still do," Risa admitted, a faint blush creeping to her cheeks. "But what am I supposed to do? Chase him down and beg him to love me?"
"Why not?" Jess said with a grin. "I mean, you've won over way worse guys. What's one introverted bookworm compared to the jocks you've dated?"
 Risa leaned back, contemplating. "But what if he really is disinterested? I can't take another rejection."
"Then you can always write it down in your diary. 'Dear Diary, today I tried to woo the un-wooable, and it went about as well as my attempt at baking.'" Jess mimicked a dramatic tone, earning a chuckle from Risa. 
"What if I just need to... approach him differently?" Risa mused, her eyes sparkling with newfound determination.  Risa considered, biting her lip "I mean, I could just ask him about his favorite book or something."
"Okay, okay," Jess said, holding her hands up in surrender. "But you realize that your 'charming' flirting could be a bit... overwhelming for someone like Noah, right?"
"Overwhelming?" Risa grinned wickedly. "You underestimate my skills. I'm like a ninja of charm."
"More like a clumsy kitten," Jess shot back, but her laughter was warm. "Just don't scare him off, okay? I'd hate to see you sulking in your room, writing angsty poetry." 
Risa feigned a gasp. "Never! But if this does go south, I'll be sure to pen my heartache in the most dramatic fashion possible."
"Just remember, Risa, you got this. Go charm the pants off him... but, like, metaphorically." With a final laugh, Jess wandered off, leaving Risa to ponder her next move. The cafeteria buzzed around her, but her thoughts were firmly fixed on Noah. She remembered the way he'd looked that day—his cheeks flushed, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. He had been so different from the others, so quiet, yet he had a spark of intelligence that intrigued her.
"Okay, Risa," she said to herself, her pen scratched against paper, "time for a new plan."