Warning: female Vincent and a very dumb Rody
Vanessa Charbonneau had always been the center of attention-at least, in every room that wasn't occupied by Rody Lamoree. In their shared college, she had long since resigned herself to the idea that every other guy would either openly flirt with her or pretend not to notice her while stealing glances. It was part of the package of being, well, her.
But Rody? Rody was... different. Not in the "sensitive guy with deep thoughts" way that some of the art majors tried to pass off as mysterious. No, Rody was actually, *genuinely* oblivious. And, much to her frustration, it only made her like him more. She had no idea why. Maybe it was because he wasn't drooling over her like everyone else. Or maybe it was because he was just, well, Rody-a lovable mess, always showing up late, half-awake, and still managing to crack a joke that made her smile despite herself.
The problem? He had *no idea* how she felt.
Vanessa wasn't subtle by nature. She was known for her confidence, her presence. So, when she realized she liked Rody-a guy who could barely remember to bring a pen to class, let alone pick up on signals-it was both exhilarating and deeply annoying.
And thus began her mission: *Operation Attract Rody*.
---
The first day of her plan started simple. She slipped into her tight red blouse, the kind that hugged her curves perfectly without crossing into 'desperate' territory. It was classy, but undeniably eye-catching. The moment she walked into their political science class, she felt every eye in the room on her.
Except for Rody's, of course.
He was hunched over his desk, furiously scribbling notes as if the world outside didn't exist. Vanessa had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. How could he *not* notice? She made her way to her seat, her heels clicking softly on the floor, and as she passed by him, she flipped her hair over her shoulder, a subtle move designed to catch his attention. She sat down, feeling the tightness of the blouse as she crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair.
And still, nothing. Rody was staring down at his notebook, brow furrowed in concentration, probably struggling to understand what the professor had just said.
Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "Hey, Rody," she said, her voice soft but sharp enough to break through the silent room.
Rody blinked, finally looking up, his green eyes meeting hers for a brief second. "Oh, hey, Vanessa," he said, smiling lazily before looking back down at his notes.
That was it. Just a smile and back to his notes.
Vanessa clenched her teeth. Was he *serious*? That blouse had worked on literally *everyone else*, but apparently, Rody was immune to all forms of obvious signals.
---
On the second day, Vanessa decided to step it up a notch. Subtlety clearly wasn't working, so she decided to be more... direct. She wore a leather jacket with a crop top underneath, paired with jeans that hugged her hips just right. She figured it was the kind of look that couldn't be ignored. It had to catch his attention.
She strutted into class with her head held high, walking directly past Rody's desk with purpose, and sat down in the seat right in front of him this time. There was *no way* he could miss her.
"Morning, Rody," she greeted, letting her voice drip with just the right amount of flirtation.
Rody looked up from his phone, blinking. "Oh, hey, Vanessa! Morning," he said, flashing that same clueless grin.
She waited. Any second now, he'd say something. Compliment her outfit, or *anything*.
But he didn't.
