Smile

As usual, Cadmus is quick to prepare a snappy retort.

He shoots her a glare, more than ready to snap. But then, she suddenly beams at him, looking so unabashedly and genuinely happy that her eyes twinkle like tiny little stars.

Just like that, any desire to mock her has died in his throat, and instead, he whips his face to the side in a desperate attempt to fan down his flaming cheeks.

"What do you want?" Cadmus muttered grouchily.

He can't find it in himself to really say it unkindly, though. That's unless she stops smiling at him.

"Here you go!" Blair enthused, and Cadmus froze.

There is no way she's giving him chocolates right now – here in the crowded hallway with their friends and many other students in their year level watching. But maybe, as strange as she is, even she can't be all that dense – she still has at least a couple of brain cells, after all.

"I really owe you one the other day..." she went on.

"Treat this as a token of gratitude from me. Also, as my apology for giving you a hard time."

Right, something happened. That's what this is, then. Still, there's a chance.

Maybe she finally fell for him after he helped her. Maybe she finally realized that she loved him after all.

Cadmus was about to sputter a response when Hershey squealed and hugged Blair.

"Oh my goodness, Blair! Your feelings for him are so strong that you're willing to put it all out there?! Even in front of everyone at school?! How bold of you!"

Blair falls silent.

She blinks once. She does it again.

And then, "Feelings? What feelings?"

That's what she said. He can't understand her at all.

'What does she mean by what feelings? Just what exactly is this girl playing at?'.

He doesn't know how she can make eye contact with him and show not a shred of intimidation. He doesn't know how she can blast through every societal norm without a care in the world. Most of all, he doesn't know how someone who's so plain and poor and petty is capable of stirring chaos in his heart without even realizing it.

Feelings. Feelings. Feelings.

Her seemingly innocuous words echo in the corners of his heart. They flutter beneath his ribs before finally settling uncomfortably in the bottom of his stomach.

"Are you feeling alright, Your Majesty? Your face looks so red," she asked with a concerned gaze, inching her face closer to his before placing her hand on his forehead, and as one might've expected, he combusted right then.

Blair Winifred is seriously going to be the death of Cadmus Mondragon.