30 Days

VI.

"Do you like the cake?"

Ashe swallowed a forkful of the moist chocolate piece of heaven on his plate and looked at Blanche. She was sitting across the table, silently watching him eat.

"It's delicious," he told her. "Thanks for the treat."

She smiled at him. "I'm glad you like it."

Ashe picked up his fork and took a bit of cake from another plate. Then he remembered he was supposed to be making her fall in love with him. Reluctantly, he set down his fork and looked at her.

"Your hair looks nice," he said and as soon as the words came out of his mouth he wanted to roll his eyes. Of all the things he could have complimented her on, it had to be her hair.

"Thanks," she muttered, consciously touching the tips of her French braid. "My friend did it for me."

Her friend... did she mean the one who was sitting by the window holding a menu up her face?

Ashe gave the said girl another glance. Blanche must have no idea. And fortunately, she also had no idea that his friend had also followed them and was sitting behind a large potted plant.

"I saw the piece that you're doing for the art showcase," Blanche spoke. "It's very beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you," he quipped.

She looked startled. "Pardon?"

"As your painting," he immediately supplied. He glanced at Finn and noticed his shoulders were shaking. Ashe vowed to kill him when this was over.

Blanche turned flustered. "W-well, yours is better. I could never get the colors right when I mix them. "

Ashe smirked.

Was she nervous? It made him want to tease her more.

He also felt like touching her red cheeks. She looked pretty, sitting there and he was almost content to just sit and watch her instead of eating the cake she bought.

Well, he thought as he picked up his fork again, almost.

**********

Blanche was going to kill Jill when this was over.

The i***t had followed them into the cafe and she didn't even order anything.

She spared her friend another glance and saw Jill giving her a thumbs-up. Oh, she was definitely going down.

Ashe tapped his pencil on his sketchbook to get her attention. "Are you still listening, Blanche?"

She almost blushed again. She liked how he said her name. In fact, she was surprised how easy it was to talk to him. At first, things were a little awkward since he kept eating silently, like she wasn't even there. But then, when he finally talked, it was like the floodgates had opened. There wasn't stopping him anymore, especially when they began to talk about art.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Your sketches are just too amazing I kind of got lost in them."

Ashe shrugged. "They're okay."

"They really are amazing," she insisted. "You're amazing."

He blinked like he didn't expect the compliment. "Thank you. I guess."

Jill gave her another thumbs-up and if looks could kill, Blanche would have already killed her.

"Blanche?"

She looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Want to do it with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"A collaboration." Ashe looked like he was trying not to laugh. "For the school fair. We can pair up."

"Are you sure you want me?" Blanche asked with surprised pleasure. Many of their art peers had hoped for an opportunity to work with him. And secretly, her included.

Ashe nodded. "Yes. I want you."

Blanche was sure her face was flushed red again. She couldn't trust herself to speak so she just nodded at him. She also felt like throwing her arms around him because he was so nice to her.

Well, she thought as she picked up her cup with concealed glee, almost.