No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle pressed her lips together and let out a soft cough. "That's up to you."

Cedric snorted, but Noelle wasn't sure what to make of it. As they walked side by side, her stomach suddenly rumbled.

Cedric turned to her. "What do you want to eat tonight?"

"I'll just grab something from the cafeteria," Noelle replied. It was only after speaking that she realized his question might have been an invitation to eat together.

She glanced up at him and noticed that he seemed a bit upset. Then, she asked instinctively, "Then what are you having for dinner?"

"I think you still owe me a meal."

Cedric could tell that she was avoiding him. Was it because of Magnus? He took a moment to think, then calmed himself.

Noelle frowned. "When do I owe you?"

"After the car accident. Don't you remember?"

Noelle's mind flashed back to the incident-Cedric had nearly been in an accident because of her, and she'd promised to treat him to a meal once he recovered.

She nodded. "I remember now, that did happen."

"At least you still have a conscience."

Noelle thought briefly. "So, what do you want to eat?"

Cedric's gaze locked onto her. "Will you agree to whatever I say?"

She felt like something had shifted in his gaze, but then again, he had always been good at hiding his emotions. Maybe it was just her imagination.

Noelle shrugged. "I'm a bit tight on money right now. If it's too expensive, I can't afford it."

"What do you usually like to eat?"

"There's a new private kitchen near the school. I've heard it's really good. Want to check it out?"

Cedric nodded with elegance. "Let's book a private room for it."

Of course, he had high standards. Then again, it made sense. He always preferred peace and was particular about cleanliness. Noelle called ahead to reserve the private room, and they walked over together, keeping an arm's length between them.

After a while, Noelle checked her phone and realized she had the wrong location. She stopped to check the map.

Cedric walked up to her. "Lost, little tortoise?"noveldrama

"The navigation is wrong."

"It's because you don't know how to use it. Give it to me."

He took the phone from her, glanced around, and closed the map on her screen. "Follow me."

"You're not using the navigation. Can you remember the way?"

"Remembering a route is nothing. Just follow me, lost lamb."

Noelle poked him in the lower back. "Stop giving me weird nicknames."

What was it with him calling her a slow tortoise or a lost lamb?

Cedric sucked in a sharp breath, and his gaze darkened. "Don't touch a man's waist casually."

"What? Are you ticklish?" Noelle teased, poking him again. This time, Cedric grabbed her hand. "If you keep touching me, you'll have to take responsibility."

Her breath caught as she met his intense gaze and quickly looked away. "I didn't touch you; I just poked you." Her voice softened.

Cedric released her hand and kept walking, though his mood had shifted. Noelle followed him, and after a few more turns, they arrived at the private kitchen. They walked in and entered the reserved room.

The owner personally came in with the menu. "It's a bit busy today, so if the service is lacking, please forgive me. Please take a look at the menu and see what you'd like."

As soon as they sat down, Cedric didn't take the menu. Instead, he looked directly at Noelle.

The owner then handed the menu to Noelle. "Your boyfriend is so considerate. It's the woman's job to order. I'm all flustered with the crowd."

Before Noelle could explain, the owner had already left. She glanced at Cedric. "What do you want to eat?"

"I'll follow your lead."

Noelle knew some of his preferences, so she ordered a few dishes, including the house signatures. The private room quickly returned to its peaceful atmosphere.

As Noelle checked her phone, she couldn't shake the feeling that Cedric was watching her. His gaze was hard to ignore. She looked up and met his eyes.