Alex kept eating while looking toward the line.
Trying to find Rex's overindulged figure.
Occasionally glancing at Raven from the corner of his eye.
Really pretty.
Raven ate slow, elegant.
Chopsticks held perfectly, each bite tiny.
Back straight, movements calm.
You could tell she was raised with that kind of class.
She ate a few bites, looked up.
Looked at Alex.
Just stared at him for a few seconds.
Then looked back down, kept eating.
After a bit, looked up at him again.
Like she was observing something.
Bob kept his head down, eating hard.
Luna sat next to him—not as good as Raven, but still a beauty.
Her presence made Bob's face red, barely daring to breathe.
Luna was pretty friendly though.
She turned to Bob.
"Hey, what's your name?"
Bob nearly choked on his food.
"Cough cough... I'm... I'm Bob..."
"Bob? Easy to remember!"
Luna smiled, showing her little canines.
"Which class you in?"
"Three... three..."
Bob's voice got quieter.
"Oh! Same class then!"
Luna patted his shoulder.
"Take care of me from now on!"
Bob's face got redder.
"O...okay..."
He didn't dare look up at her at all.
They just ate like that.
Raven looked up at Alex again.
She frowned.
"Why are you..."
She paused.
"So confident?"
She put down her chopsticks, asking seriously.
"I've met plenty of real geniuses through my family."
"But none of them had your kind of confidence."
Alex wiped his mouth.
Thought about it.
Then smiled.
"Because I just feel like..."
He leaned back in his chair.
"No matter what happens, I'm gonna win."
Raven froze.
"Just... like that?"
"Yep."
Alex shrugged.
"Had this feeling since the day I woke up."
He looked at Raven.
"Like fate's on my side. No matter how bad things get, I'll walk out laughing in the end."
Paused.
"So why not be confident?"
Luna was confused.
"Huh? Fate's on your side?"
She scratched her head.
"Is this... chuunibyou?"
Bob sighed.
"You get used to it."
He said quietly.
"He's just weird like that."
"Weird is weird..."
Luna propped her chin, looking at Alex.
"But kinda cool?"
Raven didn't say anything.
She stared at Alex.
Fate's on his side?
He's serious...
She thought about how calm he looked in the hallway.
Thought about how unfazed he was facing all those insults.
This person...
Really believes he's gonna win.
She bit her lip.
First time meeting someone like this.
"Plus."
Alex patted his chest.
"From birth till now..."
Dead serious face.
"I haven't died once!"
"That prove my point! I would win!"
Luna instantly spit out her food.
"Pffft—what kind of logic is that!"
She slammed the table.
"Obviously! You think dead people can sit here eating?!"
Bob covered his face.
"Bro... please..."
He didn't even want to talk anymore.
Students around heard it too.
Burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha!"
"What's this idiot saying!"
"Haven't died? Who has!"
"I'm dying laughing!"
"This guy's brain has problems!"
"Slime loser really is a loser, even his brain's broken!"
The whole cafeteria was laughing.
But right then—
Raven suddenly laughed.
"Pfft—"
She covered her mouth, but couldn't hold it in.
Her shoulders shook lightly.
That cold face, for the first time, showed a smile.
Eyes curved into crescents.
The whole cafeteria went dead silent instantly.
Everyone froze.
"Holy shit..."
"Raven... laughed?"
"She actually laughed?!"
"Am I seeing this right?"
"The school beauty laughed!"
"She's never smiled at a guy before!"
"This is the first time!"
Students were too shocked to speak.
Someone's phone dropped to the floor.
Those rich kids who mocked Alex earlier, their faces changed.
"Impossible..."
"How could..."
"Why him!"
Luna was dumbfounded too.
"Raven? You... you actually laughed?"
She stared at her bestie.
"You really think his dumb joke was funny?"
Raven finally stopped laughing.
Wiped the corner of her eye.
"Yeah..."
She looked at Alex.
"Pretty interesting."
Alex grinned.
"See?"
He patted his chest again.
"Told you my luck's good."
Bob was completely done.
This works?
This actually works?!
Students around looked at each other.
Couldn't believe what just happened.
School beauty Raven.
Storm High's acknowledged ice queen.
Actually laughed because of Alex's stupid joke.
And it was that kind of genuine, thought-it-was-funny laugh.
This is...
Is there any justice left?
Then they ate for 5 minutes; nobody spoke.
Luna suddenly spoke up.
"Alex, don't you have anything to ask Raven?"
She propped her chin, looking gossipy.
"Just as manners, a girl asks a question, a guy should ask one back right!"
She pointed at Raven.
"Plus, she's the school beauty! You are not even a bit interested?"
Raven glared at her.
"Don't talk nonsense."
But inside she was feeling it.
Good bestie just gets me.
This Alex seems lively, but why doesn't he talk much?
But right then—
Alex's eyes suddenly lit up.
He saw him!
Rex!
That overindulged figure was in line!
Got a target for the explosive potion!
He suddenly stood up, turned around.
Seriously grabbed Raven's hand.
All three jumped.
Bob and Luna stood up at the same time:
"Wait wait!"
"Bit too fast!"
"Hey hey hey what's happening?!"
Raven's cheeks flushed.
But she didn't pull away.
Just looked at him.
"You... what are you doing?"
Alex slowly leaned in.
Close to her ear.
Whispered something quietly.
After hearing it, Raven looked weird.
"Why'd you want me to do that?"
Alex let go of her hand, sat back down.
"If you do it..."
He smiled.
"I'll owe you a favor."
Paused.
"And I can give you my contact info."
Luna instantly exploded.
"You shameless!"
She slammed the table.
"Acting like Raven's chasing you!"
Bob was secretly impressed.
Damn...
Really damn...
Students around were shocked too.
"What the?"
"He can do that?"
"He's making the school beauty ask for his contact?"
"What kind of move is that?"
"Is this guy crazy!"
Raven stared at Alex.
Her blush still hadn't faded.
She bit her lip.
Then—
Stood up.
Other side.
Rex and his lackeys sat down with their lunch boxes.
Rex looked dark.
"That Alex..."
He gritted his teeth.
"Getting played at the mall, just thinking about it pisses me off!"
He slammed his fist on the table.
A lackey quickly leaned over.
"Boss don't worry!"
He grinned nastily.
"Remember the cafeteria ladies we set up?"
Rex's eyes lit up.
"Oh yeah!"
The lackey lowered his voice:
"They prepared special lunch for Alex!"
"Looks normal, looks fancy."
He showed a disgusting smile.
"But inside it's all cockroaches, bedbugs..."
Another lackey jumped in:
"Basically all kinds of nasty shit!"
"And they'll prepare this stuff for Alex and Bob every day!"
They started imagining it.
"Hahaha! Imagine Alex puking!"
"He's gonna be so grossed out!"
"Might even get diarrhea till he's dehydrated!"
Rex laughed like a maniac.
"Let him act cool! Let him be cocky!"
"Let's see how smug he is this time!"
The lackeys laughed with him.
Harsh laughter, full of malice.
Suddenly—
The lackeys' eyes went straight.
They saw Raven walking over.
She tapped Rex's shoulder with her chopsticks.
Movement quick, like she touched something dirty.
Rex and crew were stunned.
Froze for several seconds.
"This... this is..."
One lackey's eyes went huge.
"Getting hit on?"
"The school beauty's hitting on him?!"
"Holy shit boss!"
The lackeys started hyping him up.
"Quick quick! Go after her!"
"This is your chance boss!"
"Raven came to you first!"
Rex snapped out of it, floating on air.
He quickly fixed his clothes.
Pulled out a mirror, checked himself.
Messed with his hair.
Then smirked all sleazy.
"Watch me."
He stood up, followed her.
The lackeys quietly trailed behind.
Excited as hell.
"Boss is gonna pick up a girl!"
"The school beauty!"
"So sick!"
Right then.
Alex saw his chance.
Whoosh, he rushed over.
Speed was insane.
He grabbed the lunch boxes from Rex's table.
Then grabbed those two "special snack" lunch boxes.
Snap!
Swapped them.
Then ran back at light speed.
Whole thing took less than three seconds.
People around didn't even react.
Outside the cafeteria.
Raven went to the bathroom.
Rex stood in the hallway looking confused, waiting.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
He started questioning life.
What... what's she doing?
Finally, Raven came out.
Rex immediately struck what he thought was a cool pose.
Leaned against the wall, one hand in pocket.
"Hey, beautiful."
He showed a greasy smile.
"You don't need to be too into me."
He pulled out his phone.
"I can give you my number."
Paused, raised an eyebrow.
"After all, guys like me are rare."
Raven looked at him.
No expression.
"I just saw bird shit on your shoulder."
She pointed at his shoulder.
"Just tapped it with my chopsticks."
Rex froze.
Looked down.
There really was a white blob on his shoulder.
Raven turned and walked away.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Didn't even look back.
Left.
Rex stood there.
Completely petrified.
Lackeys were dumbfounded too.
"B...boss..."
"This..."
The air went dead silent.