Cupid's Soldier

Chapter 1

As a girl who's been alone most of my life, I cling onto romance novels and movies and I make little ideas of how people should be treated in relationships. I study other people's interactions with each other and each person has led me to the same place of confusion: what is love anyway? I've figured out different types of love, but I've not yet discovered what it is.

I have strict beliefs in how people should be treated in a relationship, and I stand up for them. Even if that means I'm not exactly the most popular girl in school, I'm determined to fight for what I believe in, no matter what. I'm not as strong as a lot of other people are, but I'm willing to stand up for anyone who isn't being treated the way they should be in a relationship anyways.

Everybody deserves to be with someone who makes them happy, and I believe that if you don't try and make a difference, nothing will change. Starting the blog, for the people at my school, was a way that I could help people, a way I could change things.

Although, I never thought I'd ever see Austen Hendrikson, asking for my help. He strides over to me and leans over the locker next to mine.

"Sup?"

His dangerous brown eyes twinkle as he watches me place my backpack in my locker. I heard people saying that Austen needed my help to get his sister to date his best friend. I just thought that it was a silly rumor, I didn't think that he was actually going to try and seek my help.

"Getting my books, so that I can go to class. Excuse me." He sucks his teeth and blocks my path, trapping me against the locker. I glare up at him and start to count inside my head. If he doesn't move, I could be late for class.

One.

"Nah, little Sel, I need your help."

Two.

"Yes, but you can't force two humans, with no feelings or even attraction towards each other, together. It just doesn't work. Eventually, the relationship will turn unfaithful and quite impossible to fix. I help people who have feelings for each other, get together. I help people realize that they are in a toxic relationship. I help people who can't decide if their relationship is worth continuing. Not the other way around." I'm actually surprised I didn't get to the end of my countdown before I snapped, usually, I'm much more level headed.

Austen scowls at me, his dark brown eyes, fixed on mine, glare and narrow. He inches his face close to mine and my breath hitches in the back of my throat. Even with him practically pressed against me, I stand my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me. I look him straight in his chocolate colored eyes and with a confidence, I did not know I possessed, I roll back my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you." I say, and I shove at his hard chest. He raises his hands in the air and backs away from me, and I take that as my key to start walking away from the lockers.

"Ms. Perfect, I'll get what I want. Just watch."

Austen laughs and shoots me a mischievous smile, his dark eyes burning into my soul. I've never seen eyes so cold and angry in my life, I want to help warm them up and make them feel something, other than anger.

When he walks away from the lockers, I sigh in relief, and continue walking to the first period.

I have my AP English book along with my calculus book. I don't really like calculus, but it isn't all that bad. I don't have to worry about other people's relationships in calculus, at least.

"Okay," Mr. Reynolds said once everyone was seated. "Everyone you all know the drill.No talking. No phones." Mr. Reynolds doesn't let anyone talk in his class during bellringers, a ridiculous ritual that schools have come up with so that teachers have time to finish grading papers.

When I finish the questions, I place my pencil down, and I sigh. I've never really enjoyed being tested, and these bellringers are just tiny tests.

Tap, tap, tap.

I hear someone tapping their pen on the table.

Tap, tap, tap.

The noise is incessant and bothersome. My nostrils are flaring and I'm glaring at my workbook. Every noise in the class, including the annoying tapping is frustrating me. The person is obviously doing this on purpose and I honestly just want some peace and quiet before Calculus. Math makes my head hurt, especially if I do too much of it, so I really don't need the stress. I turn around to look at the culprit, and find his eyes sparkling with mischief, a smug grin plastered on his face like a trophy.

"Can you please stop that incessant tapping?" I whisper harshly to Austen. I forgot he was even in this class, he's usually always skipping. Why couldn't he have just skipped today?

"I don't want to." He says with a satisfied smirk. Leaning closer to him, I smile mockingly.

"I don't care what you want to do. You're distracting me from my work."

"Sweetheart, you finished your work a while ago."

"Do you know how to shut up?"

"I know how to shut people up, does that count?"

"I doubt that. By saying you can shut people up, you're implying you're intimidating. When in actuality, you're about as scary as a piece of blank paper." Leaning even closer to him, I smirk. I've never really argued with someone like this before, it feels exciting. He's leaning towards me as well. His perfect lips, pulled into a smirk and his eyes are bright and twinkling. With every word I throw at him, my face inches towards him, and he just mirrors me. "But of course you knew that already, didn't you?" My voice is teasing, but surprisingly not in a mean way. It sounds almost flirty...

"Intimidation isn't the only way I can get people to shut up, Sel."

His face is so close to mine, his minty breath fanning my lips, and my lips part on their own accord. His hands move from the top of his desk to my neck. His fingers traveled lightly up my neck to my face, and then to my bright red cheeks. The rough yet soft pad of thumb brushes over my lips, and I suck in a breath. My eyelids hooded, and my eyes staring at his perfect lips.

"I use seduction too."

He removes his hands from my face, chuckling darkly. How did he even get me so flustered without even having to do anything? It's weird: even though I'm embarrassed, I still feel exhilarated... my heart is beating so hard. Is this what flirting with someone feels like?