Inside the café called Aroma, I was sitting before the most beautiful girl in the entire novel, inhaling the aroma of the brewing coffee floating around the entire room.
The scene, the scent was pleasant but I had a bad feeling about this. It just did not feel right. My mind was stuck with the same question I had for the past few minutes.
'Why is she here… Moreover, why is she talking to me?'
I designed her to be cold and emotionless with everyone except the people she liked. She wouldn't even talk to the second female lead without any valid reason. The only person whom she interacted or acted kindly towards was the protagonist, Arthur.
'I am not Arthur, I am Tim, the nobody. Well, I did create this whole world along with Arthur, the protagonist. But that's not the point here. My point is why the hell is she even talking to me, breaking and intertwining every plot line?'
'Just what the hell is wrong with my novel?'
"Are you going to drink it or not?" Anniliese asked again, noticing my puzzled look as she pushed the iced coffee towards me.
Coming back to my senses, I replied, "I will."
I took the glass, moved the straw to the side and took a sip directly.
"It's good right?" She asked with a curious look in her eyes, her voice carried the juvenile tone of innocence.
I shook my head in agreement, placing the glass back on the table and taking a bite from the donut. 'Let's just play along for now and see where it goes.''
I just had to figure out some details and all was good.
"So, what's your plan now?" Anniliese asked again, finishing her piece of donut, and took the iced coffee. I wanted to stop her but was also curious to know what she was planning to do.
This time she did not use the straw but turned the glass a little and drank directly from the exact place where my lips touched.
'What…' My brows twitched along with the men who were staring at her leaving their partners. Neither them nor me could believe what she just did.
'That is called an indirect kiss for God's sake…' I yelled inwardly, struggling to maintain my composure but soon took a deep breath and calmed myself down.
'No need to panic, you can stop the butterfly effect.' I reassured myself. 'All this is just a coincidence. Nothing deep here. Two colleagues talking, that is all.'
"I really love it." She said with a chuckle finishing the drink and licking her lips. "Just perfect!"
"What the hell you just did?" I was unable to figure out where she was going with all this.
"You wanted it….?" Anniliese said, tilting her head to the side as her auburn hair fell on her face. "Sorry, I just…" She swayed her hair to the side, dropping her shoulders a little. Her eyes looked sad for some reason or it was just me, who knows.
"No, it's fine." I added with a sigh and a lively grin. "I was here for the donut anyway." I got up, wore my cap, fixed my jacket, and picked the bags from the floor. "I should be going then; it is about time for the bus."
I did not wait for her to say anything as I had already failed to extract any information out of her. I needed to search by myself now.
Moving to the counter and paying the bills I opened the gate but not before I heard some snorting from men and women alike directed towards me. They were not happy with my behavior with the FMC, I guess.
But that was the best I could do. I could not fall head over hills for her, even If I wanted to. She was made for the Main Character aka Arthur Pendragon or in other words the Vanquisher of my novel.
He would have a family with her after eventually falling in love. They would defeat the cosmic being and live together happily. But if I mess with her now, the ripple caused by the butterfly effect would change the entirety of the story.
Every single plot line would collapse, ruining the whole book and my own life inside it. Thus, saving it was the only option I had.
I exited the café and walked towards the bus stop but my feet stopped when I heard a shout from behind.
"Hey, where are you going?" Anni asked, joining me with a not so cheery look on her face.
"To the bus stop. I have to reach the campus, you know." I replied with a faint smile.
"Oh." She nodded with a thoughtful expression on her face. "Let's go then." She promptly snatched the bags from my hands which I loosely held and started walking ahead.
"Eh…" I observed my now empty hands but soon my attention shifted towards the black limousine following us.
"You have your personal car and chauffeur, right? Why don't you get there and give me the bags?"
There was nothing important in there but still, I was not in the mood to answer needless questions.
Annie said nothing but kept walking briskly, throwing side glances to the car behind her.
I knew it was hers but could not just force her to get in and leave me alone. She was beyond rich and powerful. Even though I was the one who created her, I could not boss her around.
Everywhere she walked, most gazes were attracted to her. And as an author I was kind of honored by that. But no one appreciated me walking beside her. Their faces would turn sour as soon as they saw me.
'Like they say beauty is the blessing for the riches.'
"Hey, give me your jacket." She said, looking at me with a casual look.
"Why?" I flinched back a little but maintained myself. Her ways were getting more brazen than I expected.
"Just give it to me!" She said again but with more strength in her voice and I obeyed to see where all this would lead me to.
She removed her jacket and handed it to me along with my bags. Put on mine and walked again with her usual lively smile, that could even melt stone hearts.
"Why did you do that?"
"Well, I liked your jacket." She said fixing the collars of the jacket. "And I don't like that one anyway."
I seriously was speechless at this point. What was the point of wearing my $20 cheap jacket instead of her $1000 Gucci one?
"Rich people huh…" I smiled bitterly and she bumped her shoulder onto me saying something very lightly.
"I took it because it is yours." She swayed in her hair again. "I am not a fan of just taking anyone's clothes."
I blinked a couple of times processing what I heard and after some seconds, I reached a conclusion but before I could say anything she dropped another bomb.
"Tim…" Her tone was gentle. "Will you stay the night with me?"
She closed the gap between us as I looked at her with wide eyes. My heart throbbed as I saw her red cheeks and embarrassed expression. Her eyes carried some foreign emotions I failed to read.
"Ye…" I was slowly giving into her words until a loud honk woke me up.
The black limousine stopped ahead of us. Soon a man probably in his sixties with silvery hair and brown eyes exited from the front passenger side door and stood before us.
He wore a three-piece suit followed by round glasses on his eyes giving him a gentlemanly look. And his sharp features, rather scarce for his age, increased his professionalism even more.
"Miss! It is time for you to return." His voice was heavy, carrying the vibe of maturity with each word.
Anniliese's cheerful countenance sank as the man drew closer and opened the back side door for her.
"What if I said no?" She said coldly, putting some distance between her and me.
"I am sorry, but it is beyond your capability to say no." The man responded calmly, voice resounding no traces of fear or anger. "It is an order from my master which I can not disobey."
'That's Samuel the chauffeur / head butler for you.' He was a prominent figure in Anne's life and growing up he had become her long lost grandfather.
Both had a good relationship as I made it this way. But she became a bit rebellious when she met Arthur and fell in love with him.
Samuel was a strict and strong man but allowed her to flank some rules here and there but relationship with men was a strict no-no. He would personally beat the shit out of the protagonist when he challenged him to prove his undying love.
Yes, he was a brute force and a topmost man in my list to be avoided.
Just because I was seen with her for some random batshit coincidence, I could be in his list to be eliminated. I had to avoid that any way possible. 'I don't want to die this quick you know.'
"Why don't you tell father that I went back to academy by myself and he did not need to worry anymore." Her tone was the same as before and eyes were fierce.
I felt the surrounding temperature rise up a little.
"I surely can but I need to drop you at the gate. So please…" Samuel replied with an everlasting grin only directed towards her. As for me he just rolled his eyes.
"Sure!" Anee made her way towards the door tugging my arm. "Come on Tim!"
"I should not…" I let out an awkward toothy smirk and the butler nodded.
"Yes, you must not."
"What is your problem, Sam?" Anniliese asked again with her eyes full of annoyance, grabbing my arms tightly. But this time I intervened.
"Listen to what elders say. They always think for your good." I forcefully took my hand away. "And I will teach that firing spell tomorrow, after class."
I smiled again and instantly her expression darkened as her oceanic eyes flamed a little. "You know, sometimes I feel like you are the biggest idiot I have ever seen in my entire life."
"Wha-"
She stirred forward and sat inside the car, closing the door by herself. Even Samuel looked at me with a surprised face.
But it was for the better.
I moved closer to the butler and handed him her jacket. He inspected it for a moment but quickly nodded and entered the grand vehicle.
In a swift motion, the car sped on the road and I stood there staring at the disappearing tail light.
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A/N : Check comments for FMC's Image.