SEBASTIAN
"Audrey, why were you crying, what's wrong?" I puzzled, observing her.
"Nothing, I'm fine. And what are you doing here anyway you can't just barge into my apartment." She huffed, avoiding eye contact. I nodded my head, understanding her feelings.
So, she's that type of girl. She keeps to herself even when she needs someone most. Independent, not wanting to rely on anyone. I studied her as she went to the kitchen counter, she was...small; both literally and metaphorically. She looked down at the floor, wringing her hands together when she wasn't holding something.
She suddenly looked up at me, as if she was brought out of a trance or a thought of some sort, "What?" she mumbled, her gaze so sharp that I could feel it stabbing me.
"Nothing," I answered quickly, pausing to take a breath, "Do you live alone?" I ask, taking a glance at the modernized apartment. It was a wide-open space, three walls white and bare, the last was made of glass. It was pretty empty with only a table, two sofas and two chairs in the centre, and a small coffee table and two chairs by the window (which was really a glass wall); so different from all the girls' apartments I've seen.
"Yes. I prefer it, I was offered an apartment with my older sister Margo, we would have shared it until she graduated from university and then I would live alone from then on." She explained, Her shoulders wide and relaxed, unlike before.
"Doesn't it get lonely? It's so bare, not like any other girls' apartments that I've visited." I look around again, surprised at how empty it looks.
"Do you go to many girls' apartments then? And no, I prefer it to sharing one with my sister. She's more bubbly than a fizzy drink. She's loud too, and likes to party, really quite the opposite to me." She shrugs, gesturing for me to sit.
I chuckle, scratching the back of my neck. "No, I only visit them because I have an assignment to do with them, I'm taking a course in law and they like us to pair up with the opposite sex so that we have a range of opinions," I answered, taking a seat on one of the sofas, setting my bag on the floor.
"That's pretty smart, having two different views. In physics, it's mainly just independent research, the only time we pair up is for group projects at the end of every month to make a presentation on what we learned." She admitted, setting down a cup of coffee in front of me before taking the couch on the other side.
"How's the progress with Rachel? Have you seen her about lately, my shadows tell me she's keeping a low profile and has gotten pretty quiet." She turned on her laptop that had been on the table and began typing away, glancing up every once in a while.
"Um, I haven't seen her around. She's been avoiding me since the day she confessed, I mean, I would too if I were her." I confessed, sipping my coffee.
"We need to begin with the plan. She still likes you, apparently, when you're in the room, for example, the dining hall, she will stare at you for a while. Libby recommends I start eating lunch with you, or, you eat with us." She suggests, setting her laptop on the table, showing me a letter on the screen.
Dear Cupid.
There is a boy that I love. His name is Sebastian King. I don't know when I began to love him but I've been his friend for ages; since nursery actually. I love him, a lot, but I don't think he loves me back, I think he sees me as a friend or worse, a sister. Is there any way that you can help me make him fall in love with me? I know it's a lot to ask so I would be grateful if you accepted my case.
Yours truly,
Student 0813
"This is one of many, but it's one of the more recent ones. In the Cupid's Database, we have a lot of complications. Often one single person is desired by an average of at least five people, all of whom write to us." She explained, taking back her computer and typing something in.
"But once we get the letters, we look up the profiles to see if they match, if that doesn't get us anywhere then we send in the shadows. Libby and I take on the big cases, whichever one we think would have the best result. Not everyone can get the person they want, so instead if we can, we find them someone more suited to them. Here, this is one she wrote to us yesterday." She turns the laptop around again displaying a different letter.
'Dear Cupid,
Sebastian King, he states that he has a girlfriend but I don't think it's true. I've never seen him with a girl. I won't give up! Please help me. I am desperate! I don't want him to get hurt, so, even if it's not me, please find him a good lover, someone that will make him happy. I love him, but he doesn't love me. I still want him to be happy, even if it's not because of me.
Yours sincerely,
student 0813'
"She's a good person, she really is. But, she's too desperate. Libby feels that she isn't suited to you and that it is a simple crush, I also agree, that's why I have agreed to set her up with Oliver. She's a good person, after liking you for so long she deserves to be happy. That's why we need to begin the plan and take action." I look up at Audrey, her face full of concern.
Nodding, I agree, "Yes, I understand. When do we start? What do we do?"
She showed me all the plans that they made on her laptop, explaining everyone's role and places. To be honest, I was amazed at the amount of thought and consideration put into these plans, they covered everything, the backup plans covered every possible situation. It dawned on me how professional they were, how experienced they were, how genius they were.
This wasn't like a mathematical equation where the answer was definite and could only be found using one or two equations. Love was a gamble, a chance, and they have it surrounded and trapped in their grips. They thought of every possible outcome. Suddenly, the woman sitting in front of, the eighteen-year-old genius, became so much more.
I was amazed by The Cupid's Database, but she intimidated me. She was a genius in academics, in the art of language and people, and she was dangerous. She was like a lion, if you weren't careful around her, if you disrespected her or underestimate her, she will attack. Her eyes were focused, watching every move I made, as if she were reading my mind and predicting my next move.
For the first time in a long while, I felt afraid, I felt inferior and I felt privileged that she's helping me.
AUDREY
He stared at me, for a long time, and frankly, it was beginning to creep me out. I straightened my back, I felt awkward. Why is he staring at me? When I thought the situation couldn't get any creepier, he smiled widely, like the Cheshire cat from Alice and Wonderland.
"Okay, you're creeping me out now. Please stop staring at me." I snapped, standing up and bringing the mugs to the kitchen.
"Sorry, I didn't realize," he blushed standing and following me, sitting in one of the stools on the other side of the counter. "I was just, impressed. How did you come up with all that? You have literally every outcome already thought of."
"I didn't do it alone. My team and Libby's got together and had a brainstorming session, Libby and I included. They're a smart group, really, I don't know what I'd do without them. This is what it's normally like when there's a big case, we don't treat the smaller cases any different except that more thought goes into it." I shrug, brushing the compliment off as usual.
"Wow, it's all so professional. Anyway, I've bothered you enough, sorry for barging in like that, I know you're only helping me because of the case but if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. Thank you for the coffee, I hope you feel better soon." He adds, smiling sheepishly.
"I'm fine, really. It's dark out, so be careful alright. You may be a guy but that doesn't mean you're any safer alone than a girl would be." I advise, walking him to the door.
"If you say so. Once again, thank you." He nods in appreciation before leaving, closing the door behind him.
I didn't feel particularly hungry and decided on going straight to bed. However, his words, the concern he had for me, it all played over in my head. He's a stranger that I met yesterday, why should he care for me? I'm glad that he didn't press any further, both Libby and Margo would have prodded and poked until they got the answer.
I didn't know what time I fell asleep at but the night wasn't any different to usual. I got up and got ready before having breakfast and leaving. When I got to the academy I went straight to the lecture hall, feeling particularly antisocial today. I felt at ease when I focused, listening to Dr Claire's lecture, making forget the people around me, my problems, everything.
When the lecture had finished and I stepped into the dining hall, walking to the table, once again beckoned by Libby's frantic waving.
"Audrey!" She squealed, jumping up and suffocating me in an embrace a snake coiled around its prey would be jealous of. "I haven't seen you all day, I missed you." She whined, tightening the hug and cutting off my oxygen supply.
"Stop, I need air." I gasped, trying to gulp down the air.
"Oh, stop exaggerating Drey." She giggled, not letting go.
"She's turning purple Libby, I don't think she's exaggerating." A deep voice commented behind her, making her let go immediately, and thus making me bend over trying to catch my breath and my life.
"James!" She cheered, wrapping her arms around him instead but with a looser grip. She kissed his cheek, and held him lightly, much to my disappointment; she loves him too much to kill him.
We all sat down and began eating, talking about how our day has been. A few of our crews came to notify us of certain issues regarding the case but apart from that, it was the usual, until he came.
"Hey guys, how's your day been?" He asked, taking a place beside me and looking at me happily.
"Um, hello. It's been fine. What about you?" I answer, realizing he took Libby's tip on sitting with us. "Have you seen Rachel?" I glanced around the room for her but I couldn't find her. With a shake of his head, we continued our conversations whilst ignoring the world around us. Well, that was until I turned around to meet the glare of the red-headed girl named Rachel Hart, she stood and began towards our table.
Rachel Hart, a nice girl but a pain in the ass when she's moody, or in this case, in flames. She speed-walked towards the table, taking large, loud steps. Her eyes were focused on Sebastian, showing rage and betrayal; Sebastian must have noticed this too as he gulped rather loudly. Her movements were rigid and careless, her usually soft and happy face now hard and frowning. Her skirt was wrinkled at the bottom, she must have been wringing it when she saw us. The dining hall was suffocated by a blanket of silence, everybody preparing themselves for the free drama that comes with Rowell Academy.
"Sebastian, who is this?" She demands, motioning towards me. Although her voice was quiet and still as soft as a cotton ball, I could hear the jealousy and anger behind it. But apparently, Sebastian couldn't.
"This is Audrey, my girlfriend." He states proudly, showing off his acting skills.
It was at these five words that I saw it, she broke. Her eyes grew glossy as she began to tear up, threatening to fall. I could see her trembling, I could hear her breaths becoming shorter, I could feel the tension rising along with Sebastian's temperature as well.
"Why didn't you tell me? We are best friends. You tell me everything." She murmured, her voice still quiet, but instead of the cloud-like fluffiness, it was sharp and heavy. She clenched her fists tightly by her side, but the trembling was only more visible. It was at this point that Sebastian tensed up, realizing the seriousness of the conversation; more like interrogation if you ask me.
"I did tell you, I know how you feel but what do you expect me to do?" He pleaded, keeping his voice quiet and so matter of fact.
The dining hall was still hushed to a silence even when she stomped out, the tears became waterfalls, rolling down her cheeks faster than the water in the Niagara Falls. After a while the dining hall buzzed back to life, the commotion long forgotten, not that anyone cared in the first place.
"That was awkward," James concluded, with a chorus of:
"Yup." (Sebastian)
"She still doesn't believe you." (Me)
"Not at all."(Libby)
Followed by a, "Come on!" from an exasperated Sebastian.
It was at this point we decided to all talk about the plans and every other detail before going our separate ways.