Chapter 61: Jeanne d’Arc. (2/2)

Max leaned back slightly and took a sip of the chocolate milk, cold and sweet hitting his throat, trying to process what this girl could say with her stoic face, she looked super serious all the time and uttered batshit nonsense like it was normal conversation, sitting too close across the small table, knees almost touching his under it, watching him without shame, and he was certain he was not this handsome for women to act like this.

Is this my protagonist’s halo? Yeah, right? It’s fucking idiotic Max.

Max just laughed at his own thought under his breath, then pinched the bridge of his nose, tired already, not certain if he could even be friends with this weirdo while she calmly sipped her drink like nothing strange had just been said.

” Why not? ”

” I don’t know you well, I already have two girlfriends ”

” I don’t care about that, I can be your first and official wife and you do whatever you want ”

” Nope ”

For the first time Max saw a hint of emotion on her face, all this while she was stoic and confident, but when she said please, Max saw desperation in her eyes, she looked like she was desperate for something. Her voice dropped softer than before, almost fragile, fingers tightening on the edge of the small metal table like she was afraid he would stand up and walk away any second.

” Please ”

They were sitting across the small café table, knees almost touching under it, the cold chocolate milk sweating between his fingers while students passed behind her in soft blurs, sunlight catching in her red hair and outlining her pale face, and when she leaned a little forward to say that single word, her breath warm across the table, the change was small but obvious, like a proud person forcing themselves to beg for the first time in their life.

Max didn’t move closer or look away, he just held her gaze steadily and took another slow sip of his drink, the ice clinking softly in the bottle, letting the silence stretch for a second instead of reacting, he wanted to take control of this moment to dive deep into her, to read her properly instead of getting dragged by her pace.

” You’ve successfully made me curious about you, now then we’ve a class in about five minutes, eat first, where do you live now? ”

Jeanne hearing Max’s curious question sipped on her drink first, both hands around the glass like it was something precious, she seemed to be loving it more than she showed on her face, eyes softening a little, and she could not answer his question before finishing the whole glass in one go.

” In Rosewood ”

” Rosewood? ”

” Rosewood Munich, it’s a hotel, I want another one ”

Max seeing her finishing the whole glass, nodded his head, then took a bite from the cake, stood up calmly and bought another glass of chocolate milk for her, moving without fuss like it was natural, and when he came back he saw his cake was gone too, only crumbs left on the plate.

” Sigh! You’re hungry? ”

” I…I was supposed to work for food, my hotel room is already paid for but not food, this is my father’s way to teach us, I couldn’t find any work or rather they wouldn’t give me work after seeing me work once ”

” I wonder why ”

Max shook his head and putting down the glass on the table went back and ordered two meat sandwiches and two cakes, this time he wanted to eat one at least, the tray heavier now, the smell of warm bread and meat making even him hungrier.

…

” I am so full, so when are we getting married? ”

Jeanne smiled happily as they walked inside the university, stretching her arms upward like a satisfied cat after eating, her shirt lifting slightly with the motion, her curves too distracting to stare at for long so Max simply looked away and kept walking forward, hands in his pockets, pace steady.

” I don’t think we are getting married soon ”

” Why not? ”

” This is our class, let’s attend the class first ”

Max stood outside another wooden door and gestured Jeanne to enter first, posture straight and unbothered, giving her space like a gentleman instead of arguing, she pouted her face then stared at him like he had done some kind of injustice toward her, then stomping her feet lightly she entered while he followed behind.

…

” Hello, This is Ms. Wagner, I hope everyone is doing well, you there what’s your name? ”

A middle-aged woman entered the class and she looked kind and gentle, her steps light but confident, a tablet tucked under her arm, glasses resting low on her nose. She didn’t rush or raise her voice, yet the room quieted down on its own. After introducing herself she pointed at Max, who was seated in the very front row with Jeanne beside him, Finn was seated in an upper corner of the class. From the higher rows behind, a few students leaned slightly to peek past Max’s broad shoulders to see who got called first.

” Maximilian ”

” Well, then Mr. Maximilian, stand up please, tell me about Human Body ”

Max answered and slowly stood up, posture straight and body confident out of habit, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he thought, not fully sure what kind of answer she wanted, he said it half like a guess.

” Human Body? It’s adaptable? ”

” Correct, sit down please, and listen carefully class, in Medical Psychology we don’t only study bones or organs, we study how the body adapts to pain, stress, trauma and fear, how the mind changes the body and the body changes the mind, by the time you graduate, this way of thinking should become natural to you, that is what I will teach you this semester ”

She smiled hearing Max’s response, then gestured him to sit down while continuing to explain, writing a few keywords neatly on the board. Max sat back down quietly like nothing happened, while a couple of students behind him were still looking over his shoulders with curiosity for hearing the answer first. Jeanne looked more focused now that she was fed, sitting close beside him, typing calmly, the light from the window brushing over her pale skin and red hair again.

Wait, is she a cat?

Shaking his head with a small smile, Max removed the weird thoughts that were coming into his mind and focused on the class.

…

After the last class ended, the sun was going down on the horizon, warm orange light spilling across the campus buildings and long shadows stretching over the stone paths, Jeanne and Max were walking out together with the rest of the students, bags on shoulders, quiet evening chatter around them.

” Hey, Husband, can I come with you to your home? I am hungry ”

Max heard Jeanne talk right beside his ear with weird words like it was the most normal thing in the world. At this point he was not even shocked, and in return this realization shocked him more than her words because he had already started accepting her nonsense without reacting. She walked very close to him, almost brushing his arm with every step, hands behind her back, looking up at him calmly like she had just asked for water, not to move into his house.

” Sure, you can come but just to eat ”

Damn! I am going to get crazy, she’s scary, sigh! Where the fuck is Finn?

Max answered naturally without slowing his steps, his voice flat and steady, like giving permission meant nothing, but inside he felt a faint headache forming. His eyes scanned the crowd ahead automatically, searching for Finn’s messy hair or familiar jacket. He had other things to handle and couldn’t afford getting dragged around by this strange French girl all day.

Max wanted to invite Finn’s parents for a meal, a friendly meal that would result in him getting their help to deal with Bronte, he did not forget about Jennifer’s problem, and he would take Finn to go to Blanka’s university, it was time to solve Saoirse’s problem as well. As he walked, his mind lined everything up one by one like tasks, calm and practical, not emotional, with Jeanne talking about marriage on one side while he was already planning three different people’s futures in his head.

A/N: [Saoirse Aine O’Shea: The Irish waitress at Eisen & Stein Steaks, near Max’s gym, her name is pronounced as “Seersha” or “Sursha.”]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep