The next day, Stefan actually brought me river snail rice noodles. I spotted him waiting outside the science building, brow furrowed in unmistakable distaste. The pungent, earthy aroma made me wrinkle my nose—yet my heart fluttered anyway.
"Come and get it quickly," he said, pinching his nostrils. "This thing stinks."
But he handed the container to me properly, gingerly, as if it were fragile. How strange.
"The way you're handing it to me," I mumbled, cheeks warming, "it feels like… you bought it for me to eat rather than to bully me."
Stefan exhaled an exasperated laugh. "Julia, have you become addicted to getting things thrown at you? This smells awful, and it's soupy. How could you even eat it if I threw it?"
I opened the lid and slurped enthusiastically. Golden broth, perfectly cooked noodles, a fried egg—each bite was heaven. Stefan watched, still pinching his nose, a look of amused disgust on his face.
"Do you need something else?" I asked, wiping my mouth.
He stepped closer. "From now on, come find me at meal times. Eat with me."
I froze. "With your group or just you?"
"Just me."
I shook my head. "No, you should just throw food at me. Otherwise, it feels… intimate."
He burst out laughing, ruffling my hair gently. "What's going on in that head of yours? I'm bullying you. Can't you see?"
I shook my head. "Not really."
He smirked. "I remember you said Molly was fat."
"I didn't! I envied her figure. Pleasantly curvy," I said quickly.
He smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So, if you become fatter than her, she won't feel that way anymore."
Bullying with a purpose—I could live with that.