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

Ice cream Date

The following days turned into a whirlwind of playful banter. Risa upped her game, sending Noah a flurry of flirty texts filled with ridiculous emojis and puns.
"Did you hear about the mathematician who's afraid of negative numbers?" she texted one afternoon.
"He'll stop at nothing to avoid them!" Noah responded almost immediately. "That's terrible. You should be ashamed."
"Shame? No! I'm proud! 😏"
"You might need help," he texted back, but she could sense the playful tone.

                                                                                   ***

After the last class ended, Risa found herself in front of Noah's desk, her heart pounding.
 "Hey, Noah!" she called, her voice too bright. "What are you reading?"
He looked up, his blue eyes narrowing slightly, as if trying to determine whether this was a trap. "Just a book for history class."
"Oh, a history buff! You must be so exciting at parties!" She leaned against the desk, her smile playful. "I mean, who doesn't love a good lecture on the War of 1812?"
Noah raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "I don't go to parties."
"Of course not! You're too busy reading while the rest of us are living life." Risa's voice dripped with feigned sympathy, and she pouted, twirling a strand of hair. "You should really try it sometime. It might be fun."
Noah shrugged, his expression unchanged. "Reading is fun."
"Okay, Mr. Bookworm. But what if a cute girl wanted to take you out for ice cream? Would you say no?" She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "What if that cute girl was me?"
"Then I'd say no," he replied flatly, and with that, he returned his attention to the pages in front of him.
Risa sighed dramatically, tossing her head back. "You really are a challenge, aren't you?"
"Not really," he muttered, flipping to the next page.

***

During lunch, she decided to put her plan into action. She approached Noah, who was sitting with a few friends, and plopped down next to him.

"Hey there, rock star! Mind if I steal you away for a second?" she teased, leaning in close, her voice low.
"Sure, just don't break my concentration," he replied, rolling his eyes, but a smile danced on his lips.
"Concentration, schmoncentration! You need a break from all those boring books! I'm here to rescue you!"
"Rescue? I thought you were the superhero," he smirked, tilting his head.
"I am! And you're the sidekick who's always too serious!" She slapped her hand against her forehead in mock dismay. "We need to work on your sense of adventure."
"Adventure? And what do you suggest?" He leaned back, crossing his arms, clearly intrigued despite himself.
"Let's have a spontaneous ice cream date right now! No questions asked!"
His eyes widened, caught off guard. "Right now?"
"Yes! Let's go!" Risa grabbed his hand, pulling him up from the table.
"Wait! What about my lunch?" he protested, but she was already dragging him toward the door.
"Lunch can wait! Ice cream is calling!" She laughed, feeling the thrill of spontaneity. As they stepped outside into the bright afternoon sun, Risa turned to Noah, her heart pounding.
"See? This is the adventure I'm talking about! Just you and me, ice cream, and no one else!" "Okay, but you owe me lunch later," he said, his voice serious, but the hint of a grin was betraying him.
"Deal!" Risa beamed, her heart soaring. "You know, I've never met anyone quite like you. You keep me on my toes."
"Is that a compliment?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course! You're like a puzzle I can't quite solve," she replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Or a riddle," he countered, glancing sideways at her.
"Exactly! And I'm determined to figure you out," she said, her tone light and teasing. They reached the ice cream shop, and Risa practically bounced in place as they approached the counter.
"What's your flavor of choice, Mr. Serious?"
"Vanilla," he said, deadpan.
"Vanilla? How basic!" Risa laughed, shaking her head. "I'm getting rainbow sprinkles and chocolate fudge. You should try something wild! Like... mint chocolate chip!"
Noah shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I like what I like."
"Fair enough! But I'll make it my mission to change your mind!" She grinned, placing her order and handing over cash. After getting their ice cream, they settled at a small table outside. Risa took a big scoop, savoring the sweet flavor. "Mmm! This is amazing! You have to try it!"
Noah hesitated, eyeing her cone. "I'm good."  Noah looked down at his cone, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "I guess I'm just not used to... this."
"What do you mean?" Risa asked, tilting her head.
"Having someone like you challenge me," he admitted, his gaze steady. "It's... refreshing."
"Refreshing, huh?" Risa grinned, leaning closer. "So, you're saying I'm not a boring rock?"
"No, you're definitely not a rock," he said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Maybe more like... a meteorite."
"Wow, high praise!" she exclaimed, her heart soaring. "So, I'm an exciting space rock?"
 "Something like that," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
As the afternoon wore on, they continued to banter back and forth, laughter ringing through the air. Risa felt a warmth spreading in her chest, a feeling she hadn't quite expected. Maybe there was something more to Noah than met the eye. As they finished their ice cream, Risa couldn't shake the feeling that something was shifting between them. She'd always been the one to chased by boys, but with Noah, it was different. He was a challenge, yes, but there was also something deeper, a connection she hadn't anticipated.