《Cupid's Match | Wattpad Books Edition》Part 1: Chapter 1
Advertisement
The Cupids Matchmaking Service is written in elegant calligraphy above the glass shop front. A sign reading "Not Taking New Clients at This Time" is taped to the door.
"That place never takes anyone new on," a girl remarks to her friend as they pass by with shopping bags.
I frown as I look up at the towering building, shielding my eyes from the sun with the stack of letters in my hand. I can't believe I'm actually here.
When I couldn't find information online, I'd assumed the dating agency would be small. I didn't expect a skyscraper with gilt window frames and cherubs carved into the white stone walls. I feel out of place. I can't imagine anyone in battered Converse, skinny jeans, and a leather jacket has passed through its doors before.
But then, it's not like I wanted to spend the last day of summer break on the bus to Los Angeles. And, if anyone in this huge building had bothered to answer the phone, I wouldn't have had to.
I push open the glass door. A bell tinkles as I step inside.
Shiny white tiles cover the floor and several stylish neon-colored armchairs surround a large coffee table boasting a range of fanned-out fashion magazines. On the opposite side of the room stands a high, stone reception desk where a blond in a crisp white suit chatters into a headset. Above her, hanging by wires from the ceiling, is a long, golden arrow.
Something glinting on the wall catches my eye. It's a plaque that says Making Matches for 3,000 Years.
Shaking my head incredulously, I march over and dump the stack of letters onto the desk. The blond looks up, startled. A name badge reading Crystal is pinned to the pocket of her white suit jacket.
"Can I call you back?" she says into her headset. "Something's just come up."
Advertisement
Her blue eyes look me up and down. Suddenly, I am aware of how I must look; she is immaculate, not a hair out of place, and here I am, having spent an hour and a half on the ripe-smelling bus from Forever Falls. I catch sight of my dark, tangled hair in the reflective surface of a glass door. I could be her polar opposite.
"I'm sorry," she chimes, "we're not taking on any new clients at this time."
She fiddles with her headset and I realize she is about to continue her conversation. A wave of irritation washes over me.
"I'm not here to become a client, I'm here to tell you to stop bugging me."
She looks back at me, confused. "Excuse me?"
I gesture toward the five letters scattered across the reception desk.
"All summer you've been spamming me with letters, text messages, emails," I say. "I am not interested in your services. I don't know how you have my personal details, but you need to remove me from your mailing lists. I have a boyfriend already, thanks very much."
I turn on my heel and march toward the exit.
"Wait."
Her voice is lower, more assertive than before. Urgent, even.
I spin back around.
"You say we have been trying to contact you?"
I nod slowly.
She frowns. "Well, that is most . . . irregular." With a manicured hand she picks up one of the letters I've dumped unceremoniously on her desk. "We don't contact our clients, ever. It's against our—"
"Privacy laws?" I shrug. "Whatever. Just don't contact me again. Okay?"
I'm about to turn and leave again when she stands up abruptly. "No!" she says, her voice higher pitched now. "Please!" As if suddenly realizing the weirdness of her behavior, she sits back down with a robotic smile. "Just let me run your name through the computer, find out what has occurred here. Then we can remove you from our database. Yes?"
Advertisement
I sigh. "Fine."
Relief washes over her face as I walk back to the imposing reception desk.
"Name?"
"Lila Black."
Her long nails click on the keyboard as she enters my name. She waits a few moments. Then she frowns and hurriedly types something else. As she stares at the screen, all the blood drains from her face. A mask of surprise replaces her faux smile. There's another emotion there too.
Fear?
"Miss Black, we have a big problem. You have been matched with"—she stops and bites her lip—"I think . . . I think one of our agents is best suited to fill you in on the situation. Please take a seat. I will send someone out right away."
"I really—"
The receptionist raises one hand, signaling me to be quiet, while pressing a white button on the intercom beside her. A few moments later a muffled male voice sounds through the small speaker.
"What is it, Crystal?" He sounds disgruntled.
"Cal," she chimes, "I need you to come through to reception right away."
"You know the line, Crystal," he snaps. "We're not taking on any new clients at this time."
She coughs, a little embarrassed, then quickly slips off her headset and picks up the receiver. "It's not that," she whispers. "Look, you just really need to come out here."
There's more muttering on the other end before Crystal places the phone back down. The robotic smile reappears.
"One of our agents will be with you momentarily."
I'm about to argue that I don't want to see an agent, I just want them to stop contacting me, when the frosted-glass door beside reception swings open to reveal a young man I can only presume is Cal.
He is as beautiful as Crystal, with well-groomed blond hair and sharp silver eyes. He wears a crisp white suit even though he looks like he could be around my age, seventeen. He's definitely attractive, if you like that sort of thing; he's a bit too clean cut for my taste.
His eyes sweep over Crystal, irritated, before settling on me. "I'm sorry," he says, his voice laced with disdain, "we're not taking on any new clients at this time."
"Yes, I get the picture," I say through gritted teeth, "but I'm not here to become a client. I'm here to tell you to stop contacting me."
"You do need to see this, Cal," Crystal says.
He exhales sharply through his nose then makes his way over to the desk, leaning over Crystal to read whatever is on the screen. His eyes darken. Shock flickers across his angular features. Then he regains his cold composure.
"So, you're the girl," he says. "Of all the girls in the world, you're his Match. I must admit, you're not what I expected. Now, please come with me. We have something very important to discuss. Your very life could be at—"
Crystal coughs and gives him a warning look.
He sighs. "Please come with me, Miss Black. I'll explain everything." He spins back around and heads through the glass door.
For a moment I consider just walking out, despite Crystal's encouraging nod. But my best friend, Charlie, isn't back from her journalism camp yet, and James, my boyfriend, has a shift at the diner all day. So it's either this or sit at home with no promises that the Cupids Matchmaking Service will stop contacting me.
Plus, I hate to admit it, but I am kind of curious about who exactly they think I've been "matched" with.
"Fine," I say. "But for the record, this is seriously weird." I walk to the door, swing it open, and step inside.
Advertisement
Transdimensional Marketing
I am merely a reviewer, albeit the products I review are slightly different. For example, I review quantum computers, artificial intelligence, anti-gravity mech armor, planetary engines, sublight colonial ships, stellar detonators, etc… Chen Yu: “The technological product I bring to everyone for today’s episode is—a dual-vector foil! W-Wait! Everyone, please calm down! Let me explain…”
8 1070Climber: Towers of the guardians
Maxwell Hunt just wants to save humanity, all he has to do is climb the towers of the guardians, and defeat the final boss, not hard right except he's tried that before oh well looks like we're in for another go around. Join Max as he climbs the tower for the second time while trying to protect his family the [hold my beer] guild.
8 140An Unlikely Haven
A story about a small bar inside an alley of the Imperial Capital and how it's more than what it seems to be...
8 153boxes - taron egerton.
who knew moving a couple boxes from your apartment would change your life forever
8 130Tear In My Heart
Heaven Royce Potter jest dwudziestojednoletnią dziewczyną o pastelowych niebieskich włosach i heterochromii. Dziewczyna od zawsze jest bardzo nieśmiała, jednak wszystko się zmienia, gdy na studiach poznaje pewną grupkę osób. Przez nich trafia do więzienia, gdzie cele będzie musiała dzielić z pewnym przystojnym mężczyzną.Harley Frost jest dwudziestoczteroletnim chłopakiem o kruczoczarnych włosach i szmaragdowych oczach. Trafił do więzienia trzy lata temu, ponieważ został skazany za morderstwo z premedytacją. Chłopak ma do odsiedzenia wyrok dożywocia. Co się stanie, gdy do jego celi trafi pewna śliczna dziewczyna? Czy się dogadają? Czy pomogą sobie nawzajem? Dowiesz się czytając "Tear In My Heart". Autors: MayWeMeetAgain1304 and 00ADDA00.
8 446Roommates, with nightmares
When max moves back to her hometown to finish off her last two years In collage, she wasn't expecting to be walk in and see her high school bully.The worst part, is thy have to share a dorm. But will hey notice they have much of the same similarities when they both have nightmares that they wake up to screaming? And what will they do when they wind up cuddling every night?
8 149