[DING DING DING]
[Interesting…] [The girl you made contact with] [spoke to you first.] [That wasn't part of the mission,] [but it's an unexpected BONUS.]
[+2 CONFIDENCE] (10 → 12)
[Analysis of Sophie Laurent:] [She noticed you.] [That's more than any girl] [has done in your entire life.]
"Shut up," I muttered, but I couldn't help smiling a little.
After Sophie walked away, I stood in the hallway for a moment, processing what had just happened.
A girl had talked to me. Not to ask for notes. Not to ask about homework. Just… because.
My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten breakfast because of the nerves.
The UIAD international cafeteria was exactly what you'd expect from a university that charged a fortune per semester. High ceilings, modern wooden tables, food stations from different parts of the world. Italian, Asian, Mediterranean, American.
I grabbed a tray with pasta and headed to my usual spot: a table in the corner near the windows, as far from the central noise as possible.
The place was full. Groups of students laughed, spoke in multiple languages, shared food. Couples held hands. Some studied while they ate.
I ate alone. As always.
I took out my phone as I took my first bite.
[Observing…] [Pathetic as always, huh?] [Sitting alone like a loser.]
"I have to study," I muttered quietly.
[Liar.] [You're alone because you don't know how] [to integrate socially.] [But don't worry, little Gino.] [That will change… eventually.]
I sighed and kept eating, trying to ignore the voices and laughter around me.
Then I saw her.
Sophie was in the Asian food line, tray in hand. She wore the same glasses, but she'd let her hair down from its ponytail. It fell over her shoulders in soft waves.
She looked… cute. In a simple, unpretentious way.
She paid for her food and began looking for a place to sit. The cafeteria was almost full. Her eyes scanned the area.
They stopped on me.
"Shit," I whispered. Was she coming over here?
To my surprise… yes.
"Hey, Gino," she said in her soft French accent. "Is this seat taken?"
My brain short-circuited for a second.
"Uh… no. Not at all."
Sophie smiled and sat down across from me, setting her tray on the table. She had ramen and green tea.
"Thanks. Everything's full today."
"Yeah… lots of people," was the smartest thing I managed to say.
She started eating, and for a moment there was an awkward silence. I kept eating my pasta, not knowing what to say.
[Say something, idiot.] [Don't just sit there like a mannequin.]
"What did you think of the class?" I heard myself ask.
Sophie looked up, smiling slightly. "Professor Romano is pretty good. Much better than the classes I had last semester. She makes the material… I don't know, more interesting."
"Yeah, she has a good teaching style," I agreed, feeling a little less nervous.
"Do you always take such detailed notes?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"I guess so. It helps me concentrate."
"It shows. I try to do the same, but sometimes my mind wanders." She smiled shyly. "Especially when I've had too much coffee."
I looked at her cup. "How many cups have you had today?"
"This is the third," she admitted with a small laugh. "French problem. Coffee is basically water for us."
I couldn't help smiling. "That explains why you always have a cup in your hand."
"Exactement." There was a comfortable pause as we ate. Then she tilted her head, looking at me curiously. "Hey… did you do something?"
My fork froze halfway to my mouth. "What?"
"I don't know. You look… different. More…" she searched for the word, "awake. Yesterday in class you seemed more… closed off. Today there's something different about you."
My heart beat faster. Was it already that noticeable?
[Interesting.] [She notices the changes.] [+2 Perceived Attractiveness due to female sensitivity.]
"I slept better last night, I guess," I half-lied.
"Oh, that makes sense. Sleep does wonders." Sophie observed me for another moment. "Also, your posture is different. You're more… I don't know, upright."
Shit. It was true. Without realizing it, I was sitting with my back straight, not hunched over my food like I usually did.
"I guess I'm trying to work on that," I said honestly.
"That's good. It suits you." She took another bite of her ramen. "Where are you from, Gino? Your last name sounds Italian."
"It is. Morretti. My grandparents were from Sicily, but I grew up in the suburbs here. And you? France, obviously."
"Paris," she confirmed. "The full cliché. Eiffel Tower, croissants, all that."
"Do you miss Paris?"
"Sometimes. The food, definitely. And the metro is better than the transport here." She smiled. "But I like the diversity of this university. In Paris, everyone was… Parisian. Here there are people from all over the world."
"That's true. This morning I heard like five different languages just walking to class."
"Exactly. It's refreshing." Sophie finished her ramen and leaned back in her chair. "What made you want to study Law?"
It was a simple question, but no one had asked me that in a long time.
"Honestly… I want to do something that matters. Help people. Solve problems." I paused. "I know it sounds idealistic."
"No, it sounds good," she said genuinely. "Better than 'my parents forced me' or 'I want to make a lot of money.' Although," she added with a mischievous smile, "there's nothing wrong with making money."
I laughed. A genuine laugh. "You're right."
"And you?" I asked. "Why Law?"
"Ah, I'm the cliché. My father is a lawyer. My mother is a judge. I basically was born with a civil code in my hand." She rolled her eyes playfully. "But seriously, I like debate. Analysis. Finding arguments. It's like… solving logical puzzles."
"That makes sense."
There was another moment of silence, but this time it wasn't awkward. It was… nice.
Sophie checked her phone. "Shit, I have class in ten minutes. I need to run."
She stood up, gathering her tray.
"It was nice talking to you, Gino." She paused, as if considering something. "Do you usually study in the library?"
"Sometimes, yeah."
"Great. Maybe we'll see each other there. It's always good to have someone to compare notes with."
"Sure, whenever you want."
Sophie gave me one last smile before walking away.
I stayed sitting there, processing what had just happened.
A real conversation. Natural. Without extreme effort.
[DING]
[Interaction analysis:] [Duration: 8 minutes, 34 seconds] [Quality: SURPRISINGLY DECENT] [She initiated contact: +Bonus] [Fluid conversation: +Bonus] [She noticed your physical changes: +Bonus] [She suggested seeing you again: +BIG BONUS]
[+3 CONFIDENCE] (12 → 15) [+2 CHARISMA] (8 → 10)
[System Note:] [Well done, little Gino.] [You're still pathetic,] [but less pathetic every time.] [Sophie Laurent is on your radar.] [And you're on hers.] [Interesting development…]
I finished my pasta with a smile on my face.
Maybe, just maybe, this whole System thing wasn't so impossible after all.