Phoenix's POV

      As I sit with my friends and they start asking me about my meet and greet last night. They knew how much I didn't want to go to it because of who I'm matched with, to be honest they didn't want to go to it either especially Nessa. She was about ready to make Lucifer 'accidentally disappear' so and I quote "I wouldn't have to deal with his slime-ballness for the rest of my life."

       In fact it got the point where Arlo had to hold her back from leaving campus to find him and 'talk' to him. Man, I love my friends.

    They didn't even ask the normal questions I hear from other groups of friends that have had a member of the group get matched, the first words out of Alisanne mouth was, "Did he do or say anything that we need to do anything about," which I replied by saying, "He wasn't as bad as when we first met him, but I think that was because of his parents, who think he's the best thing since computers, the only time they weren't telling me how great of a person he is was when he called his cousin weird and his father reprimanded him."

     My friends all looked at me when I mentioned his cousin, but it was Hugo who spoke up first. "Wait do you mean sibling because cousins only see each other on the designated annual date?"

     Of course Hugo is thinking of the logical thing. "No his cousin lost both parents so he lives with the slime ball and his parents."

    I respond then Alisanne speaks up, "So what do you think of the cousin?"

       Her blue eyes searching for the truth, that's another reason I think of her as Alisanne because she's almost a human lie detector. In fact the only lie that's ever gotten past her is the one about my mom. She'd know if I was lying so I have to tell a partial truth and not say everything I think about Amator, so I simply say, "He seems to be nice."

      And kind and handsome and the perfect person for me because that's what he is, I mentally add. Alisanne smirks and says, "You wish you were matched to slime ball's cousin not him don't you?"

       See she has a knack for knowing the truth. I shrug in a pathetic attempt at nonchalance this sends both Nessa and Alisanne into a fit of giggles over my new 'crush'. Of course Hugo being the logical person he always is quickly rains on their parade, "Would you two stop your useless prattling, you both know that there is nothing she can do about her 'crush' unless she, you know, denies her match not knowing if her 'crush' feels the same way, then when her 'crush' gets matched she'll end up being a sad, childless, old lady and you both know how much she loves being near the younger children."

      Well that and the fact that if I refuse then I'll be banished with my dad and forgotten by my friends, but what Hugo was saying was true I love kids and playing with them because they still have imagination and creativity because no one can stop them from having it. Alisanne rolled her eyes and replied, "Really again the words no one understands. What does prattling even mean?" 

     Nessa rolls her eyes and responds to Alisanne before Hugo can, "He means stop babbling or talking about it."

      She then turns to Hugo and says, "See you're not the only one that pays attention in language class."

        Even when there aren't any goals or standards to achieve Nessa still found a way to be ambitious by getting ahead in her classes, in fact I'm pretty sure that she has the dictionary almost memorized, but you wouldn't know it by the way she talks. To be honest I think the reason that Hugo is so bitter about the topic of crushes is that I think he has a crush on Nessa, but his logical mind always reminds him of the very low probability of him ending up with her.

      Kai then speaks up, "It's true that she can't decline her match without consequences," his eyes which were on our friends dart to me and stay there as he continues, "but its your choice to make and sometimes the positive results outweigh the negative ones after all the start of every flood is a single drop of water and there are times when a flood is desperately needed."

     Alisanne responds before I can even process what Kai said by saying, "What is that supposed to mean?"

     Kai looks at her and replies, "I just mean that her decision will affect the rest of her life I was just pointing out that it could be for the better."

     I can't help, but feel that the explanation he gave was only half of what his statement meant. The bell signaling the end of lunch rings and as we get up Arlo says, "Well whatever your decision is we'll support you and be there for you whenever you need us because that's what friends do for one another."

    The rest of the day Kai's words kept running through my head.
                               🔥
      That day at work I was at the cash register doing my job when he came in. My breath picked up as well as my heart rate.

      Amator's smooth voice said in almost awe, "I wasn't expecting to see you here, not that I'm not happy to see your beautiful face, but it just a surprise, um-uh, I mean hello again."

         He's blushing ever so slightly and I'm sure I am too. He started talking again saying, "I was just getting, um, something to eat before heading to, um, my work at one of the restaurants down the street. I should probably stop talking now before I say something stupid."

       I clear my throat and say, "Um-uh, what would you like to order?"

      After he tells me his order I punch it in and he asks, "Have you eaten yet?"

     I shake my head and say, "No I haven't was going to get something after my shift."

     He smiles says, "Um, maybe you could come to the restaurant I work at to get something to eat?"

     I smiled and blushed before saying, "That sounds good thank you."

     He told the restaurant number he worked at then he smiled and went to work after I gave him his order. That night I got something to eat from the restaurant he worked at and we talked a little more. I went home with a smile on my face, hoping nothing would ruin my mood. Boy was I wrong.