Melodies of Life

Chapter 29. Uncertainty

I eat lifelessly alone in the table, where Jasper and I frequently shared at the cafeteria. I seem to sink deeper in gloom when a voice breaks my thoughts.

"Mind if I sit with you?" A familiar looking girl beams at me, food tray in her hands.

I nod with a small smile as I try to recall her name. We belong to the same class, I guess.

"History, right?" She turns to me with a hopeful smile.

I nod. "Sorry, I can't remember your name." I bow my head at once in shame.

"Me too."

We laugh in unison then introduced ourselves to each other.

"Those are seriously mouthwatering cupcakes you have there." Cassie peeks at the box beside my lunch. I was hoping to give it to Jasper, but he's not here. So much for keeping my hopes up, that thinking part was just sugarcoating. Besides, why would he continue being my lunch buddy if I'm a failure as a date to him? It is now crystal clear that he doesn't enjoy my company.

"Here." I offer a cupcake to her.

"Thanks." She quickly takes a bite. "This is good! Where did you buy it?"

"My friend and I made it, we're taking baking lessons."

"Really? You've got skills, I envy you. I can't even cook a decent sunny-side up egg." She pouts as she looks away, then for some reason she looked surprised.

I follow her gaze and saw Jasper standing in a distance, his eyes fixed on us as if we were some kind of specimen under a microscope.

"You see that guy looking straight in our direction. His name is Jasper, and I really really like him." She says excitedly to me in hushed tones. "I've been crushing on him since last year, and I just can't get him out of my mind for real." Her cheeks turn pink as she admits. "But I don't think we can be." The smile on her face fades.

"And why is that?" I raise a brow, intrigued.

"He's the son of a rich businessman, meaning arranged marriage. There is a long line of girls waiting for him, and I don't belong there. I'm not qualified." She laughs bitterly.

Really? Jasper doesn't seem the type to agree on arranged marriage though. He's just to stubborn. I think hard at what I heard. Just then a smile creeps across my face as an idea formed in my mind. "Hey, Jasper!" I call out to him.

"What are you doing?" Cassie panics as Jasper makes his way to us.

"You seem to be enjoying lunch." He says with a hint of mockery.

I smile widely. "Yeah, but not as happy as Cassie is." I turn to her. "Why don't you let him taste your wonderful cupcakes?" I wink at her. She mouths a silent thanks at me.

"Here." She offers him one but Jasper just looks at it with a blank face.

"I'm full." He shakes his head dismissively. "Are you done here? Mind if I talk to her? Just the two of us." His tone was more commanding than asking.

Cassie had no choice but to stand up and walk away. I watch in disbelief as she left with her shoulders hung low.

"You're a jerk, Jasper. A really big jerk!" I almost shout at his face in slight annoyance. "That girl clearly likes you and this is how you treat her?"