How Can I Make Him Fall For Me

Chapter 3: Step One, Attempt Two

It wasn’t exactly how I had planned my day. Okay, maybe nothing about trying to make Jason Anderson fall for me was going according to plan, but today… today felt like it had potential.

My strategy was simple, at least in theory: find a reason to interact with him again. Not just a passing glance or an awkward collision, but a real conversation. Something that would make him notice me beyond the “clumsy girl” label I seemed to have acquired.

Simple in theory. Impossible in practice.

I scanned the campus courtyard, heart racing at the thought that he might appear at any moment. And, as if the universe had decided to mock me, he did.

Jason Anderson. Standing casually under a tree, flipping through what looked like a portfolio, entirely unaware that my entire plan for world domination—er, capturing his attention—depended on this moment.

I took a deep breath. Step one: Approach him. Step two: Look calm and collected. Step three: Don’t make a fool of yourself.

I started walking. Slowly. Deliberately. Like a model on a runway. Okay, maybe more like someone tiptoeing through a minefield.

By the time I reached him, I was sweating slightly, palms clammy, and my hair had decided to betray me by sticking to my forehead. Fabulous.

“Hey,” I said, trying to sound casual, even though my voice probably betrayed me as someone about to hyperventilate.

Jason looked up, and my heart did something ridiculous. His eyes met mine, and that smirk—oh, that smirk—spread across his face.

“Well, if it isn’t the master of dramatic entrances,” he said, leaning against the tree with effortless grace. “Did you come here to trip over something again, or just to say hi?”

I huffed a laugh. “You know me too well. But today… I’m feeling extra talented. No tripping. Promise.”

He raised a brow. “Impressive. I’ll take notes.”

Notes? My brain screamed internally, but outwardly I nodded as if this was the most normal conversation in the world.

I had come prepared. Sort of. I had memorized a few conversation starters in my head, ridiculous little icebreakers I found online. One of them had been: “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?”

Smooth. Totally normal.

I opened my mouth. “So… hypothetically, if you could have any superpower…”

Jason tilted his head, interested. “Hmm… teleportation. Definitely teleportation. Why?”

I blinked. Okay, not what I expected, but fine. I could work with that. “Because… imagine how convenient it would be for avoiding… accidents.”

His laugh rang out, clear and genuine. “Avoiding accidents, huh? Like soccer balls rolling toward you?”

“Yes! Exactly like that,” I said, heart leaping. “You remember!”

“Of course I remember,” he said, leaning slightly closer. “It was memorable.”

I felt my cheeks heating up. Memorable. He said it like it wasn’t just a footnote in his day. Maybe… maybe he actually noticed me.

I tried to calm myself, focusing on the conversation, on the playful banter. Step one of my plan was clearly working. Step two—well, step two was the tricky part: keep him intrigued, make him laugh, make him… want to see me again.

“So, teleportation,” I continued, “what else would you do with it?” I tried to sound casual, like I wasn’t analyzing every tiny inflection in his voice.

Jason smirked. “I could skip boring lectures. Appear at parties uninvited. Maybe sneak into exclusive events.”

I laughed, genuinely this time. “Sounds like my kind of guy.”

He tilted his head, clearly amused. “Your kind of guy, huh? That’s interesting. And what kind of guy would you call your kind?”

I swallowed hard. Smooth, Aria. Totally smooth. “Someone who… appreciates talent, maybe. And avoids unnecessary collisions.”

His laugh this time was warmer, lingering just a little too long. My heart raced. I was doing it. I was making him laugh, making him notice me.

But just when I thought everything was going perfectly, the universe decided to remind me that life wasn’t a rom-com.

“Jason!” A voice called from across the courtyard.

He turned, and my heart sank as I realized the owner of the voice was… Madison Hayes. Popular, stylish, and everything Jason Anderson apparently had the patience to tolerate without losing his cool.

“Hey, Madison,” Jason said casually, standing and flashing a polite smile.

Madison’s eyes flicked to me briefly, and I swear I felt her smirk. She walked past, brushing me lightly, like a cat that knows it owns the room.

And just like that, the bubble of connection I thought I had with Jason popped.

Jason glanced back at me, his smirk still there but now mixed with a hint of apology. “We’ll continue this conversation later, Aria. I promise.”

I nodded, forcing a smile. “Sure… I’ll hold you to that.”

As he walked away, I felt that familiar mix of frustration and determination wash over me. Madison was a complication. Of course she was. A little obstacle in my carefully planned path to make Jason fall for me.

Step three was suddenly a lot more complicated.

But one thing was clear: I wasn’t going to give up. Not now, not ever.

I straightened my shoulders, took a deep breath, and whispered to myself, “Challenge accepted, Jason Anderson. And you have no idea what’s coming.”