Page 62 of Drama Queens Don't Fall For Charming Boys

Her smile drops. “That wasn’t nice of them. Jerks.”

“Yeah, but whatever. I think every kid gets teased at some point in their lifetime. What about you? Did anyone ever dare start up with the famous Mia Park?”

She twists her nose. “I’m not that famous.”

“Sure you are. I don’t know how you manage to get through your days at school with no one toppling you over.”

She doesn’t have a chance to respond because it’s our turn to order. She gets cookie dough and I’m completely lost as I scan the options.

“If you’re looking for something sweet, cotton candy might be best.” She lists other flavors I might be interested in.

“You think she’ll give me however many flavors I want if I tell her who I am?” I joke.

She sighs in exasperation. “How dare you use your fame to take advantage, Pirate Farmer?” She tsks, trying to hide a smile.

The woman behind the counter is very patient, not getting annoyed or rushing me. After some deliberation, I settle on coconut. With a smile, I thank the woman as she hands me my cone.

“Stop doing that,” Mia hisses as we find a table and sit down.

“What?” I ask, licking my ice cream.

“That charming thing that you do. You’ll blow your cover.”

My eyebrows furrow. “What charming thing? I was just thanking her. She was so patient and I wanted her to know how much I appreciate what she does for the shoppers here.”

“Well, sure, of course she deserves to be thanked, but you didn’t have to go all DH on her. We’re trying to keep a low profile or else it’s back into the supply closet we go.”

I’m quiet as I continue licking my ice cream. “I don’t really know what you’re talking about. What do you mean by going all DH on her?”

She licks her ice cream, too. “You know, that charm of yours. Same way you charmed my emotionless robot.”

My eyebrows nearly shoot to the sky. “What are you talking about? I thought you were just annoyed with me when you said that yesterday, but you’re actually serious.”

“Well, yeah.” She studies me. “Wow. You don’t even realize it, do you? The effect you have on people. Not me,” she quickly adds. “But I mean most people.”

“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about, Mia.”

She throws her hands up. “The way you walk, talk, act—just your overall appearance and behavior—it’s, you know, charming.”

“What does that even mean?”

She sighs heavily. “Like…and I’m in no way talking about myself here…”

“Okay.”

“So like, if you were to smile at, let’s say, a girl, she’d melt.”

“Melt?”

“Not literally. Like she’d feel so overwhelmed with emotions that she’d feel like she’s melting into a puddle.”

I just stare at her.

“And you have this aura around you.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know how to explain it. I guess if you want something, all you have to do is smile or open your mouth and everyone will run to get it for you. You haven’t noticed that even the teachers and faculty at school are smitten by you?”

My eyes grow large. “Smitten?”

“Like Nurse Sonya yesterday. Did you see how excited she was that you came to her office?”

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