After Cady left, Gretchen—who hadn't said a word the whole time—asked softly, "Why did you try to drive a wedge between Regina and Cady?"
"I didn't," Karen-with-the-big-waves replied, keeping that innocent smile on her face. "Don't put words in my mouth. I was just telling the truth. What Cady thinks after that isn't my problem."
Looking at Karen's pure, clueless expression, Gretchen could only shake her head and drop the subject.
Within the Plastics, Gretchen's role was always kind of unclear. She was just as pretty as Regina and Karen, but her presence somehow faded into the background.
Her personality was a lot like Dan's—quiet, introverted, and a little insecure.
She joined the Plastics mostly because she wanted to fit in and feel included.
If you really broke it down, Gretchen was more someone the group protected than someone who led. That was why she didn't actually dislike Regina's domineering personality. Deep down, she even admired her a little.
Meanwhile, Regina was feeling pretty pleased with herself over the stir she'd caused in the cafeteria.
She loved being the center of attention.
Projecting her own mindset onto others, she assumed Mike felt the same way. She leaned closer and whispered, "So? How does it feel?"
Mike, however, couldn't care less about people staring. He casually said, "You're a really nice person~"
"Huh?" Regina's brain short-circuited for a second—until she followed his gaze and realized what he was looking at.
Her smile instantly grew brighter. Faced with a handsome guy like Mike, she didn't mind handing out a few extra perks.
In fact, after realizing how straightforward he was, she found him even easier to manipulate.
Charm—
That was one thing the Queen Bee never lacked.
After their little interaction, Regina's goal had already been achieved: making the entire school think she and Mike had something going on.
Next, rumors would spread like wildfire.
All she had to do now was wait for Mike to come to her.
No one could resist the Queen Bee's charm!!
That was Regina's initial plan, at least.
As for whether she'd make Mike her boyfriend or just keep him around as an admirer—that could be decided later.
Mission accomplished, Regina waved at him. "See you next time, little Mikey~"
Dragging out the last word, she turned back as she walked away and flashed him a gorgeous, suggestive smile.
No denying it—she really knew how to mess with people's heads.
Too bad for her, though. Mike was the kind of guy who enjoyed the candy coating but never picked up the stick.
---
[Charm +3], [Acting EXP +66]…
After absorbing the glowing orbs, Mike finished his lunch in a few bites, grabbed his milk, and headed out.
Not long after, Little George—who'd been eating alone—caught up with him.
Buzzing with excitement, George whispered, "Mike, I thought you were into Cady. I didn't expect you to secretly hook up with Regina. How did you even pull that off…?"
In front of a goddess like Regina, guys like George didn't even qualify to stand close—only admire from afar.
Seeing his best friend apparently "take down" someone so untouchable was enough to make his heart race.
"You're overthinking it. I'm not close with Regina," Mike said, shaking his head and leaving it at that.
As someone who'd seen it all before, Mike could clearly tell what Regina was really up to.
It was just mutual benefit. If she kept offering enough sweetness, he didn't mind playing along for a while.
Seeing Mike wasn't interested in talking about Regina, George switched topics. "Hey, did you notice Cady sitting with the Plastics today? Do you know what that's about?"
Normally, Cady always stuck to Mike during lunch.
Sometimes after eating, she'd even ask him to walk around campus with her.
In George's eyes, the two of them were practically a couple.
Connecting that with all the weird behavior from the Plastics today, even someone as slow as George could smell something fishy.
He'd already started to see Cady as a friend, so he couldn't help worrying.
"I'm not really sure," Mike said with a shrug.
Still, from Mike's perspective, Cady making friends with the Plastics wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It might help her adjust to school life faster.
Just as George was about to keep talking, Karen stopped Mike near the side entrance of the library.
"Mike, can we talk?" she asked, blinking her big, innocent eyes.
That look alone was enough to trigger anyone's protective instincts.
Well, guess I'm heading back to class alone again, George thought. He gave Mike a knowing look and walked off.
Watching Mike get pulled aside by yet another Plastic, George silently vowed never to ask about Mike's love life again.
It was just too depressing.
So what if you're handsome? Is that really such a superpower?!
---
Inside the library, Sheldon and Dan were still sitting across from each other, eating lunch.
But today, Sheldon was staring at his sandwich and hot dog without taking a single bite.
After choking on a mini sausage that morning, he'd developed a mental block about solid food.
Dan didn't know any of that. Seeing Sheldon's lack of appetite, he offered, "Sheldon, want to try some homemade curry rice? We could trade."
Because his family was Vietnamese American, life in their small Texas town wasn't easy for Dan.
A sandwich and hot dog were nothing special to Sheldon—but to Dan, they were practically a luxury.
"Thanks, but I don't like curry," Sheldon said, glancing at the sticky yellow curry rice Dan had already eaten halfway through.
The Vietnamese dishes Mike had ordered for him last time had completely killed his interest in curry.
"That's too bad," Dan said, casting another envious look at Sheldon's food.
He'd been to Sheldon's house before. Even though the dinner conversation had been awkward, the Cooper family's spread had left a deep impression on him.
As Dan was lamenting his missed opportunity, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye: handsome Mike being pulled into the library by a stunning girl through the side door, disappearing into a hidden corner together.
Dan sighed internally. Another day of being jealous of Mike.
---
"Karen, what is it?" Mike asked, catching her sweet scent as they stood wedged between bookshelves.
The space was tight.
So tight, in fact, that Karen's not-so-innocent curves were almost pressed against him.
She was just over five-three, tilting her head up—perfectly aligned with Mike's lips.
"Aren't you curious about Cady?" Karen asked, her pink glossy lipstick matching the faint blush on her cheeks.
"Uh, could you maybe talk without sexually harassing me?" Mike replied dryly.
Who would've thought that behind those deer-like eyes and angelic face, Karen's hands would be so busy—quietly poking at Mike's abs.
"If you think it's unfair, you can get even…" Karen said, smiling playfully as she leaned in closer.
An angel mixed with a devil—
yeah, that combo really was deadly.