am-books Chapter 87 Jessica.
Chapter 87 Jessica.
Hugo's jaw dropped as he stared, absolutely dumbfounded.
He was seated on a plush velvet stool under the dim, crimson lighting of the Velvet Inferno, the school's most infamous and slightly questionable underground club.
But the drinks, music, and questionable morality of the place had nothing to do with why Hugo looked like he'd just been struck by lightning.
No, the reason was her.
Jessica.
At the bar, leaning casually but with a sadness that tugged at the edges of her stunning features, was her.
The blonde goddess who'd haunted Hugo's thoughts since his first day on campus. The same senior he'd crashed and burned with after his orientation disaster.
Back then, he had stupidly tried to flirt without fully understanding the System Aura's duration—and when it had cut out mid-sentence, his voice cracked so badly he might as well have sung opera.
She had stared at him like he was an alien and walked away, leaving him to drown in shame.
But tonight was different.
She was wearing a crop top that hugged her figure like it had been custom-made for her, paired with a short skirt that showed off toned, shapely legs.
Her long blonde hair shimmered like golden silk in the moody light, and those hazel eyes of hers seemed to carry a storm of emotions.
Her lips, glossy and full, were slightly pursed, and her posture had an air of melancholy, like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Hugo's face went through an entire comedy skit of emotions. First, shock—his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open.
Then, his lips twisted into an evil grin, one so lecherous and exaggerated it was almost cartoonish.
"Sweet baby dragons," he muttered, licking his lips like a starving man staring at a buffet. "Is it my birthday, or did Fate just decide to throw me a bone?"
'She's shutting me out,' he realised. 'She's been hurt, so she's probably thinking every guy is the same. Alright, I need to change the narrative.'
He leaned in slightly, his tone softer but still confident. "You know," he began, "I've been here long enough to notice something: every guy in this place is staring at you, and you're sitting here like you don't even notice. Either that's humility, or you're just too sad to care."
He tilted his head, giving her a small, sincere smile. "Not everyone's here to break your heart. Some of us just want to make it better."
Her hazel eyes widened slightly, and for the first time, her shoulders relaxed. That tiny smile from earlier? It blossomed into something real.
Hugo activated Emotions Highlight again, almost scared to look. But there it was: Curious.
"Yes!" he thought, his inner voice cheering like a sports commentator. "Alright, Hugo, game on. Time to play it cool and reel her in."
Sliding effortlessly into conversation, Hugo began asking about her interests, making light comments about the club's overly dramatic decor and weaving in the occasional compliment, always keeping it subtle.
He knew better than to jump straight into flirting. No, this was a slow game.
He needed to build trust, ease her into the idea that not all guys were jerks—and, most importantly, show her that he wasn't just any guy.
As she laughed softly at one of his jokes, Hugo smirked inwardly. 'Round one goes to me.'
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