Rewind

She scowled, her cheeks reddening even more. "It's just a physiological response! It has nothing to do with you. My body is simply reacting to your proximity and arrogance. It's a defense mechanism."

He chuckled, finding her flustered state adorable. "Oh, so now you're making excuses, huh? Your body is betraying you, and you're desperately trying to deny it. But I can see through your little facade."

She huffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "You're so full of yourself. You really think you're charming enough to make me weak in the knees, don't you?"

He leaned in closer, his eyes locked on hers. "Oh, I've got you weak in the knees already, sweetheart. You can try to hide it all you want, but I know I affect you. You can't resist my charm any more than I can resist your defiance."

She couldn't help but shiver slightly as he got closer, her breath catching in her throat. But she quickly composed herself, trying to regain her composure. "You're delusional if you think I'm affected by you. You're just another narcissistic jerk who thinks he can have any girl he wants."

"Come to my party tonight, I'd change your opinion about that"

She raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued despite herself. "You want me to go to your party? Why would I do that?"

"To see a different side of me, of course. To realize that there's more to me than just my cocky facade. I'm much more complex and charming once you get to know me."

She was visibly skeptical, and the wariness was clear in her eyes. "Why would I believe that? Everything you've shown me so far is just a typical narcissistic jock behavior. Why should I take a risk on you?"

He sighed, genuinely wanting her to see past his facade. "Because I want you to see the real me. I'm tired of playing this part, of always being the arrogant player. There's more to me than that, but I don't know how to show it to people. And for some reason, I really want you to see the real me, without all the pretenses."

She stared at him, her expression softened slightly. She was conflicted, torn between her instinct to dismiss him and her curiosity about the real him. "And why me? Why do you want me to see the real you?"

He sighed, his expression becoming uncharacteristically vulnerable. "Because there's something about you that makes me feel alive. You challenge me, you defy me, you don't let me have my way with you. And it's refreshing. It's like a breath of fresh air from all the girls who melt at my feet."

She couldn't deny the sincerity in his words, and she felt a tiny pang of guilt for judging him so harshly. "You're really serious about this, aren't you? You really want me to see the real you."

He nodded, his gaze fixated on her. "I do. And if you come to my party tonight, I promise I'll show you the real me. I'll drop the act, I'll show you the side of me that I don't let anyone see. Please, give me a chance."

"Why are you so persistent? "

He shrugged, a genuine smile on his face. "Because you're something different. You're not like the other girls I've dated or been with. You don't fall at my feet, you don't worship the ground I walk on. You challenge me, you make me work for it, and I actually like that. You've gotten under my skin in a way I can't explain."

She raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't I be creeped out by that? You sound like you're obsessed with me."

He laughed, a hint of sheepishness in his tone. "Maybe a bit. But it's not an unhealthy obsession, I swear. It's more like an unexpected attraction, a fascination with your defiance and individuality."

She couldn't help but smile at his honesty. "You're still as arrogant as ever, you know that? Assuming that you can charm anyone, and somehow make me change my opinion about you."

He smirked, the familiar cocky expression on his face. "Hey, I never said I wasn't arrogant. It's kind of my thing. And I'm confident that I can change your opinion of me. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. You'll see."

She rolled her eyes again, unable to help it. "I can't believe I'm actually considering this. But fine, I'll go to your party."

His face lit up with a wide smile. "You will? Seriously? You're not playing with me, are you?"

"I should be asking you that"

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "I swear, I'm not playing around. I really want you to come to my party. And I promise I'll keep my cockiness in check and show you the real me."

"And no tricks, right? No games or manipulation?" she asked, still skeptical but slowly softening.

He shook his head vigorously. "No tricks, no games, no manipulation. Just me, being honest and genuine. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I promise I'll do my best to prove that there's more to me than my cocky facade."

"Alright... Now let's go back to building this skeleton"

He chuckled at her abrupt change of subject, still amused by her resilience. "Fine, fine. Back to building the skeleton."

He picked up the femur bone and handed it to her, their fingers briefly brushing against each other. "Here, hold this while I grab the other tibia."

She took the femur bone, her eyes still locked on his. He could see the hint of a smile on her lips, and he felt his heart skip a beat.