Kismet | ENGLOT

Chapter 18

Engfa's POV:

There she was—the only person I'd been waiting to see since the performance ended last night. But tonight, she looked different, like she'd stepped right out of a dream. Her dress was both daring and elegant, showing more skin than usual, and her light makeup made her look like a goddess. Her hair cascaded in soft waves, framing her face perfectly. I felt like I could just stand here all night, lost in her beauty. Then, just as I was sinking further into the trance, Nessa snapped her fingers in front of my face, jolting me back to reality.

"Hey! Earth to Engfa! Are you okay?" Nessa grinned, her eyes narrowing. "And what's with that dopey smile? You look like a total goofball."

I blinked, still recovering as Nessa followed my gaze. Her jaw dropped. "Is that Charlotte *Freaking* Austin?"

Patcha turned, following Nessa's gaze until her eyes landed on Charlotte. She looked as surprised as I felt. "*That's* Charlotte? Wow. Is she, like, the Queen Bee of your school or something?"

Nessa shook her head, still speechless. "Queen Bee? Not even close. She's the top geek."

Patcha let out a low whistle, her voice dripping with admiration. "Top geek? If all the geeks at your school look like *that*, sign me up! She's a total knockout." Her eyes drifted over Charlotte with that all-too-familiar look of interest.

Something prickled inside me, an odd mix of irritation and maybe... jealousy? Before I could stop myself, I slapped both Nessa and Patcha on their arms.

"Stop staring! It's rude."

"Ouch!" Nessa rubbed her arm, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, so now it's rude when *we're* doing it, huh?" She shot me a knowing grin. "I saw you practically glued to her a second ago, looking all lovesick. And, like... look at her! Who knew Charlotte could pull that off? She's like a Christmas present just begging to be unwrapped."

I tried giving Nessa a warning look, but she just smirked, completely unfazed. "P'fa, you lucky bastard," she teased, her voice dripping with mischief. "I can't believe you've already had a taste of those cherry lips. Are they as sweet as they look?" She let out a dramatic sigh. "Actually, don't bother answering. I might just find out for myself."

My eyebrow twitched, and irritation simmered beneath my skin. I loved Nessa like a sister, but right now, the urge to strangle her was real. The thought of anyone else touching Charlotte, even jokingly, felt... wrong.

Patcha turned to me, her expression a mix of shock and excitement. "Wait, Fa, really?! You kissed her? So... are you guys, like, *together*?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

I chuckled, trying to keep it light. "No, it's nothing like that. It was for the play. We were acting, and the kiss was just... part of it." But I could feel a smile tugging at my lips, betraying the calm front I was attempting to keep.

Patcha grinned, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "So, you're *not* together? Just clarifying," she said with a playful smirk. "Wouldn't want to hit on her if you two are a thing."

Their laughter rang out, and I took a deep breath, feeling the swell of possessiveness gnawing at me. Why did I suddenly feel like I had to keep everyone else away from her? I hadn't even told her how I really felt; it was just that vague confession I made to her in the toilet a week ago... But seeing them talk about her like that, I realised I wanted her attention, her laughs, her smiles—all to myself.

"Alright, enough!" I snapped, though my voice held a hint of amusement. "Let's grab a drink before you two drive me up the wall." I nudged them toward the bar, rolling my eyes as they exchanged knowing glances. I glanced over my shoulder, finding Charlotte across the room. She looked angelic and out of reach, like something I'd only dreamt up.