Chapter 3
"Yeah." Vesper squeezed the empty iced coke cup until it crackled in her hand, that spark in her eyes that Zara knew all too well, the kind of look.
Vesper got whenever she set her mind on something, bright, stubborn, and a little wild. "I'm going to chase him."
"Wait, you do realize he's a traffic cop, right?" Zara said.
"Yeah, I know," Vesper said.
"You do realize he's a traffic cop, right? He's out here every day, keeping things running," Zara said.
"If you keep hanging around, he's just gonna think you're causing trouble," she continued.
"One of these days, he might slap you with a ticket for disrupting traffic," Zara added.
Vesper paused, then tossed her empty iced coke cup straight into the trash can six feet away.
She pulled a shiny new thermos out of her backpack.
"Then I won't get in anyone's way," she said, standing up and brushing the dust off her pants.
"I'm just showing a little kindness to the guy keeping us safe. That's gotta be legal, right?"
Zara just stared at her.
Vesper always kept her word.
She brought him cold water in the summer, apple toddy in the winter, an extra umbrella on rainy days, and hand warmers when it snowed.
She was like a little ray of sunshine, always showing up right on time by the Eastgate guard booth, rain or shine, never missing a day.
Sometimes, when he was busy on duty, she'd just stand nearby and wait for an hour or two, never bored, just watching him like she could do it for a lifetime and never get tired.
Everyone at the traffic squad knew her by now.
"Cassian, that girl's back again," one of the officers said.
"Yeah," Cassian replied.
"Show her some appreciation, man. She's from Thornfield University, really pretty, and always brings us treats. The whole squad gets to enjoy thanks to her," the officer said.
"I'm on duty," Cassian replied.
"Alright, keep working. I'll keep an eye on her for you, make sure no one tries anything funny," the officer joked.
By the third month of her pursuit, when the first icy blast of winter swept through, Vesper finally managed to press the thermos into his hands.
He didn't take it willingly. She forced it into his hand, leaving him no room to refuse.
That day was brutally cold, the wind slicing at his face like a knife.
His gloves couldn't keep out the chill, and his fingers were numb and stiff.
Out of nowhere, Vesper appeared beside him and pressed a steaming cup of apple toddy into his hand, fast and decisive, not giving him a chance to say no.
"Cassian," she called, her voice crisp and bright, cutting through the winter air.
"I'm Vesper, a sophomore in the Business School at Thornfield University. I like you, and I'm going to pursue you," she said.
Cassian looked down at her.
Vesper tilted her face up, her eyes shining like they were full of stars.
The wind had turned her nose, cheeks, and lips bright red, making her look like a bonfire in the cold.
Her smile was dazzling, so open, so unguarded, like loving someone was the most natural thing in the world.
He pushed the thermos back toward her. "I can't accept this."
"Oh, yes, you will." She shoved it right back into his hand, her grip surprisingly strong.
"Just take it. Your hands are practically frozen solid. I saw it. You can't wear thick gloves on duty, right? At least drink something hot. I'm not making you break any rules," she said.
He didn't push back again.
Cassian thought to himself that she wasn't just pretty; she had a stubborn streak, too.
By the ninth month, it was Vesper's birthday.
She didn't bother inviting him, because she knew he wouldn't show up anyway.
December in Thornfield was so cold that it made her teeth chatter.
She huddled in her dorm, sharing a tiny cake with her roommate.
She thought that whatever, if he didn't want her, so be it. At least she had tried, and that was nothing to be ashamed of.
But then, at ten o'clock that night, someone called her name from downstairs.
She ran out in her pajamas, not even bothering to grab her down jacket.
And there he was, Cassian, standing under the streetlight, holding a cake box.
The streetlight glowed softly, stretching his shadow long in the snow.
He looked like someone out of a storybook.
"You..." Vesper was caught off guard, the cold wind slipping down her collar and making her shiver.
"How did you get in here?" she asked.
"The security guard knows me," Cassian said, walking over and handing her the cake. "It's your birthday."
Vesper's heart skipped a beat, and her hands shook as she took it.
"I'm on my day off," Cassian said, pausing as if searching for the right words.
"I went to get one earlier today. I wasn't sure what flavor you liked, so the girl at the bakery said most girls like strawberry," he said.
Vesper looked down at the cake.
It was strawberry, with a clumsy swirl of cream flowers around the edge, clearly picked by someone who had no clue what he was doing.
Actually, he probably didn't even know how to choose, just bought whatever the shop recommended.
Her nose tingled, and her eyes grew hot.
"Cassian," Vesper looked up at him, her eyes shining brighter than the streetlight, "are you starting to like me, even just a little?"
Cassian didn't say a word.
She rose up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
The wind was icy, her lips were warm, and there was a soft hint of her shower gel on her skin.
He didn't pull away.
After a whole year of relentless pursuit, Cassian finally gave in and started dating Vesper.