"Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk
I'm a woman's man, no time to talk..."
Jasper strutted toward the school gates, his voice low but unmistakable as he sang along to the classic Bee Gees song playing through his earbuds. He couldn't help it. The rhythm was infectious. He even threw in a little swagger, nodding to a group of students who stared at him like he was insane.
Not that he cared.
It had been two weeks since the Pride and Prejudice presentation, and life had settled into something of a routine. School was still school, but now it came with the added bonus of irritating Alex Dunphy whenever possible.
And, as he'd recently discovered, it was his new favorite pastime.
There was something fun about pushing her buttons. She acted like he was the most insufferable person in the world, but she never truly ignored him. She always had something to say back. And for someone who'd been so isolated before, she sure had a lot of fire in her.
He liked that.
A little too much, if he was being honest.
But that was a problem for another time.
Jasper reached the school doors, pushing them open just as the chorus kicked in. He was mid-"Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive" when he nearly walked straight into someone.
A familiar someone.
Alex.
She was standing by her locker, flipping through the pages of a book, completely unaware that she was about to be subjected to his usual level of annoyance.
Jasper smirked.
Showtime.
He slid up next to her, leaning lazily against the lockers. "Morning, Beautiful Overachiever."
Alex tensed slightly but didn't look up. "Don't call me that."
"Why not? It fits you. You're beautiful, and you're an overachiever. Two undeniable facts of life, like gravity or the fact that The Godfather Part II is superior to the original."
She finally turned her gaze toward him, unamused. "If you're trying to be charming, it's not working."
Jasper gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "I'm wounded. Truly. Your words cut deeper than any Shakespearean tragedy."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Do you ever take anything seriously?"
"Of course." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Breakfast. Classic literature. The appropriate ratio of peanut butter to jelly in a sandwich."
"You're impossible."
"And you're adorable when you're irritated. Seriously, it's like watching a kitten try to attack a mirror."
Before she could come up with a scathing response, the warning bell rang, signaling they had five minutes until first period.
Alex sighed, shutting her locker. "Some of us actually care about getting to class on time."
Jasper grinned. "And some of us enjoy making life a little more interesting."
She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head as if deciding he wasn't worth the energy. "I have AP Calc. Try not to get detention today."
Jasper watched her walk away, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction.
One month ago, he barely existed in her world.
Now, he was a part of it.
And if he had anything to say about it, he wasn't going anywhere.
Later
Jasper was walking toward the cafeteria for lunch, his earbuds snug in his ears as the catchy beats of Last Friday Night by Katy Perry blared through them. He couldn't help but belt out a few lyrics, tapping his foot to the rhythm and fully embracing the carefree vibe of the song.
"Last Friday night, yeah, we danced on tabletops, and we took too many shots..."
His voice was off-key, but that only made it more fun. He strutted down the hall with the energy of someone who had all the time in the world, completely oblivious to the stares of passing students. That was the beauty of being Jasper — confidence came naturally.
As he approached the cafeteria, two crumpled pieces of paper caught his attention. He pulled them out of his pocket, the bold handwriting on the invites standing out against the faded ink. Both were from Britney, the queen bee of the school. She had sent one to him directly and one through her loyal sidekick, inviting him to her party this weekend.
Britney's parties were legendary — loud music, over-the-top decorations, a sea of pretentious high schoolers trying too hard. He'd gone to one last year, just to see what all the hype was about, and while it was exactly what he expected, he'd managed to have his fun anyway. This year, though, he wasn't just going to go to blend into the background. He was going to stir things up a little. Maybe even cause a little chaos.
But then an idea hit him, and his mischievous grin grew wider.
Maybe I could take my beautiful overachiever with me?
He stopped for a second, thinking about it. Would she even go? Would she be willing to step out of her comfort zone for one night of... well, fun? Alex had always been so focused on school, so determined, so far above the high school drama. She probably thought of the party as a waste of time — and to some extent, he couldn't blame her. But there was something alluring about the idea of taking her out of that element and showing her a different side of life.
Maybe she'll accept.
Jasper's smile turned playful as he sang along to the song, "We went streaking in the park, skinny dipping in the dark..." He let the words hang in the air as his thoughts ran wild. Alex was smart, obviously, and more reserved than most people he knew, but she wasn't immune to fun. It was a side of her he'd only caught glimpses of — like when she rolled her eyes at his constant teasing or the brief moments when she wasn't so uptight. He liked seeing her like that, even if she wouldn't admit it.
Wait, why did I say my beautiful overachiever?
The realization hit him, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips. The idea of calling Alex his beautiful overachiever suddenly didn't sound like a joke.
Ohhhh.
He slowed his pace as the thought sank in deeper. He liked the sound of it — calling her his. It made him feel strangely possessive, but not in a bad way. It was more like... he wanted her to be his in a way that was uniquely theirs. Something about the idea felt right. She was his beautiful overachiever, whether she realized it or not.
He could picture it now — taking her to the party, showing her off like he had all the power in the world. They'd be a match, in a way. The perfect contrast: his lazy genius and her diligent perfectionism. It was an odd combination, but it worked.
Maybe... He could hear the words swirling in his head. Maybe I could actually get her to come to this party with me. It's the end of the semester after all. She's probably just as tired of school as I am. It could be fun.
Jasper stuffed the invites into his pocket, a mischievous glint still in his eye. He took a deep breath, humming along to the chorus of Last Friday Night.
"Last Friday night, we maxed our credit cards, and got kicked out of the bar..."
He swung the cafeteria doors open, still feeling that rush of excitement. Maybe it was just the thought of getting under Alex's skin once more, or maybe it was the idea of actually having her beside him at that party.
Either way, he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away.
Stay tuned, beautiful overachiever. I'll make you dance again.