4

"Here goes nothing." She muttered with a deep breath, taking slow and calm steps toward him. She smoothly sat on the chair opposite him.

The man didn't even notice her presence, drowned in his food.

She didn't dare look at her friends because they must be grinning like idiots right now.

Catherine dramatically cleared her throat to get his attention, which did get his attention. He stopped eating for a complete two seconds before he started eating again. Eyes still on his food.

Catherine again cleared her throat a little loudly now. He smoothly grabbed his can of coke and put it in front of her.

Her cheeks tinted a bright shade of red as she heard the booming chortle of her idiotic friends.

"Thank you." She said rather plainly as she opened the can and took a gulp of the drink, his eyes were still on the food so she timidly toasted the drink at her friends who were smiling at her.

"So why did you take admission so late?" She breaks the ice.

No reply.

'God. What was this man? Mute Gorilla or something.'

She thought in her head. "Are you mute? You talk in sign language?" She asked and then she signed a hello. She knows one or two words in sign language, which she learned when she visited the orphanage for special kids.

Her heart jolted when he finally raised his head, and those olive hues met her hazel ones. Her hands became sweaty as she immediately looked down not because she was afraid.

No.

His gaze was so freaking intense, and piercing through her soul. 

When she peeked at him again. He focused on his food again as she let out a small inaudible sigh.

"So Mr. Mute. I was here to ask if you would like to be my friend. It's not that I go around the university asking guys to be my friend. To be honest, you're the first. You should consider yourself lucky seriously. You'll become friends with great Catherine.... oh wait, stupid of me, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Catherine, 19 years old, doing a major in business which you might've already figured out I guess." She blabbered on. Her habit. She could talk nonstop without a pause. She called it her talent.

"Oh please, don't bother to introduce yourself. I know you won't speak. I'm fine with it. Well, I know a little about you. You're majoring in business. Prolly failed a couple of times to still be in the first year when you look like you are in your final year. I could guess your age too, I'm excellent at guessing so let me guess, you might be 22 to 25. You can't be more than that. You don't have wrinkles or anything. By the way, my friend is already head over heels for you. Her name is Avery. She was asking me if I could get her your number..." She blabbered and let the sentence hang when he still didn't reply. Not even a twitch in his expression she continued.

"She's very hot you know. She's blond, has pretty nails, and has red lips. Well, I don't go around doing matchmaking but trust me you'll like her. I have a whole gang of friends. Two boys and three girls, if you want to join then it would be awesome. Well again I don't go around talking to strangers to join my gang but Mr. Colt you're no stranger. We've already established a relationship where you ignore me all the time and I've to keep bantering because I need your number just so I could prove to my friends that you didn't ignore me, now what do you say-'' She stopped speaking when he casually stood up, not sparing her a glance.

Walking to the dustbin he threw the leftovers as he placed the tray on the counter and strolled out of the cafeteria. She couldn't stop but noticed his stance. He gave out dominating and intimidating dark vibes. She noticed how the girls gawked at him. She knows he was handsome but girls need to control their horny selves. Gosh.

She jumped in surprise when Avery patted her on the shoulder lightly and hopped down on the seat beside her. Joseph, Samuel, and Quinn followed, joining the table along with their food.

"So?" Avery chirped as Joseph tried to hold in his chortle but ended up barking huge laughter out within seconds her idiot friends were laughing hysterically.

She scrunched her nose up, folding her arms on her chest, she rested back on her chair while glaring at the door from where Mr. Mute left.

Great.

"You were blabbering nonstop. You blabber when you're nervous and damn. That man didn't even say a word." Joseph laughed while slapping the table in a clapping manner as she glared at him.

"He offered me his drink," Catherine said as she showed them the can which was still in her hand.

"Babe he thought you've got a sore throat with all that throat clearing. He was just being kind." Avery mused and Quinn giggled while cupping her mouth and shaking her head in negative as if she wasn't laughing.

"Whatever," Catherine muttered, annoyed.

"So we aren't going to the funfair. This means we need to give a punishment to you for losing the bet." Samuel grinned evilly.

"Wait a second. I still didn't give up." Catherine gave them her pearly white smile.

"And you all never mention the time. So for now I'm already in the bet." She smiled innocently.

"Fine. You've got a week." Avery started.

"No. At least two weeks." She debated.

"You can take two years if you want," Joseph grumbled.

"Two weeks I vote." Quinn voted in her favor. 

"One week I vote." Both Avery and Joseph said simultaneously. 

Now all eyes were on Samuel to decide the fate of the bet.

"Two weeks." Samuel smiled and high-fived Catherine.

"So two weeks for Mr. Mute to start speaking again." She smiled with a new mission brewing in her head.