Chapter 2: First Impressions – Alex approaches Evie; she finds him irritating and arrogant.
987 Words
The next morning, the university courtyard buzzed with chatter. The sun was bright, the wind gentle, and Evie Parker had her head buried in a book — again.
Her world always felt quiet in the middle of noise. She liked it that way — blending in, unnoticed. Until, of course, someone refused to let her stay that way.
Someone like Alex Carter.
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✦
Evie sat beneath her usual oak tree outside the English department, earbuds in, flipping through Pride and Prejudice. She liked Elizabeth Bennet — not because of the romance, but because of her calm defiance. It reminded her that being reserved didn’t mean being weak.
Then a shadow fell across her pages.
She looked up — and of course, there he was. Hands in his pockets, sunlight making his hair look golden, and that same smile that could probably convince half the campus to skip class.
“Hey,” Alex said, tilting his head. “You’re Evie Parker, right?”
Evie frowned slightly. “Do I know you?”
“Not yet,” he said, dropping his bag beside her. “But I’m hoping to fix that.”
She sighed and went back to reading. “You don’t have to.”
He chuckled, sitting down anyway. “You always this friendly?”
“Only when I’m interrupted.”
“Good,” he said, ignoring the sarcasm. “I like a challenge.”
Evie turned a page. “Then you’ll enjoy being ignored.”
Alex grinned. “You think ignoring me will work? That’s cute.”
Evie shut her book slowly and looked at him, her expression calm but sharp. “What do you want, Alex?”
He blinked. “What makes you think I want something?”
“You don’t talk to people like me unless you do.”
That made him pause. People like her? What did that mean? “And what kind of person are you?” he asked.
“The kind that doesn’t play games.”
Her tone was steady, but her eyes were distant — like she’d already learned that lesson once before, maybe too deeply.
Alex felt something stir — curiosity, a little guilt, and a strange tug he couldn’t name. Still, he smirked. “Lucky for you, I’m not here to play.”
“Then what are you here for?”
He hesitated. A dare, his mind whispered. But he just said, “Maybe I just wanted to get to know you.”
Evie gave a quiet laugh — soft, but not amused. “Right. And maybe I’m the president.”
He smiled despite himself. “You don’t believe me?”
“I don’t believe boys like you do anything without a reason.”
Alex tilted his head. “What kind of boy am I, exactly?”
Evie met his gaze. “The kind that enjoys being adored — until it’s boring.”
For the first time in a long while, Alex didn’t have a comeback.
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✦
Later that day, his friends found him sitting outside the café, lost in thought — something unusual for Alex Carter.
Jade plopped into the seat across from him. “So? Did the queen of silence speak to you?”
He gave her a look. “Barely.”
Liam laughed. “Told you, man. She’s impossible.”
Alex swirled his drink absentmindedly. “She’s… different.”
Jade raised an eyebrow. “Different how?”
“She doesn’t care who I am,” he said simply. “Didn’t even blink when I said my name.”
“That’s the point of the dare, Carter,” Jade said with a smirk. “She’s the one girl who’s not impressed by your charm. So what’s the plan?”
Alex leaned back, lips curling. “Same as always. Persistence.
✦
Over the next few days, persistence became his full-time job.
Evie found him everywhere — the library, the cafeteria, even in her literature class (where he suddenly started sitting two seats behind her). Every time she turned, he was there — smiling, teasing, trying to get her attention.
When she dropped her pen, he handed it back before she could reach for it.
When she answered a question in class, he clapped — earning a glare from the lecturer.
When she passed him in the hallway, he’d grin and say, “Miss Parker.”
Always polite. Always annoying.
After a week, Evie couldn’t take it anymore.
“Do you not have friends to bother?” she asked one afternoon as she tried to leave the library.
Alex followed her down the stairs, hands tucked into his jacket. “I do. But they’re not as fun.”
“Then find new hobbies.”
“Already did,” he said, flashing a grin. “You.”
Evie stopped walking, turning to him with an expression caught between disbelief and irritation. “You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet, here we are,” he said easily. “You, talking to me.”
She rolled her eyes. “This isn’t a conversation. It’s a warning.”
“Noted. But I should tell you — I don’t scare easily.”
“Good,” she said, her voice cool. “Because I’m not trying to scare you. I’m just not interested.”
She walked away again, her steps sharp and fast — and for the first time, Alex didn’t chase her.
He just stood there, watching her go, his smile fading into something thoughtful.
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That night, he lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The dare was supposed to be fun — a joke. But something about Evie’s words kept echoing in his mind.
> “You don’t talk to people like me unless you want something.”
“The kind that enjoys being adored — until it’s boring.”
It shouldn’t have bothered him.
But it did.
Because for the first time, he couldn’t tell if she was wrong.
- Writer
