Ice on the Outside, Screaming Love on the Inside Chapter 10

Ice on the Outside, Screaming Love on the Inside Chapter 10

If Joren and I ever actually started dating, Cupid must’ve been half asleep that morning.

Two people this bad at saying how they felt had no business ending up together. It would be a miracle.

I’d been the one making moves for so long. He could at least be the one to finally say it.

So the next day, I copied Joren.

Anyone could play the aloof act.

The second Joren realized I was giving him the cold shoulder, his thoughts went into full meltdown mode.

[What did I do? Why is she ignoring me?]

[Was something wrong with breakfast?]

[Wait, why is she asking somebody else for help? What am I, invisible? I’m the top student here. Nope. I can’t take this anymore.]

“What kind of explanation is that? This takes three steps, and you turned it into a whole speech.”

Joren snatched the other guy’s pen and wrote out the solution in a few quick lines.

I gave him a flat “Mm” and went right back to my work.

I wanted to see how long he could hold out.

One day. Two days. Three days.

Joren got more and more attentive, like he was about to lose his mind.

His thoughts were basically one giant string of question marks.

I was secretly loving every second of it.

After school, I packed my bag and headed out alone like usual.

Joren rushed over and grabbed my wrist.

“Wait for me. I need to tell you something.”

Finally couldn’t take it anymore?

I frowned at just the right moment and clicked my tongue.

“Fine.”

[She really does think I’m annoying now. She’s so cold.]

[Didn’t she say she loved those cold, brooding guys? Didn’t she say she liked chasing after someone who

played hard to get?]

[Maybe I’m not doing the aloof act right. But I’ve already stopped myself from hovering around her for three whole days.]

[This hurts so bad.]

I blinked, completely confused. No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t remember ever saying anything like

that.

Everyone else had left. The classroom was empty except for us.

Joren sat in the seat in front of me, hands braced on the chair back, and looked at me with a completely

serious expression.

“Ophelia, why have you been avoiding me these past few days?”

“I haven’t been avoiding you.”

“You have! You’ve been dodging me on purpose. You don’t even ask me questions anymore. Did I do

something wrong? Tell me. I can fix it.”

“I didn’t…”

“I like you.”

Buzz-

My mind went completely blank.

I stared at Joren.

He stared back.

This time, there were no thoughts to hear. Just his ears turning redder and redder.

“Ophelia, say something.”

“I… what am I supposed to say?”

“Say you like me too.”

I’d never seen anyone confess like this in my life.

But it was like he’d hit me with some kind of charm spell. The words came out before I could stop them.

“I like you too.”

“Then promise me we’ll both get into Harvard, okay? Say yes.”

“…Okay.”

Joren grabbed my hand.

“No backing out, Ophelia. I’ll keep you on track. We’ve got one month left, so let’s give it everything we’ve got.”

This felt less like a confession and more like a pregame pep talk.

“Wait. If you like me, then why have you been so cold to me for an entire year?”