Pieces [Wattpad's Editor's Choice]

30: pRe-FrOnTaL cOrTex DeCiSiOnS

Our first goal was to figure out where Arrow was. According to Isaac, Arrow had been on campus that day, just not in any of our classes. He saw Arrow in the food court last, go figure.

"He's staying in your dorm somewhere," I explained to Isaac that night driving home. "So if he's not staying with you and Phil, who's he with?"

Neither of us had the slightest idea. But it was someone who wanted to speak with Luna or I that day. If the dude was waiting on Luna, it could be anyone (no shade).

Isaac said he'd keep an eye out that night even though I told him not to. It wasn't exactly his job and he couldn't do anything about it anyway.

The missed call earlier was from an unknown number, but when I called it back, it wasn't a direct line to anything and I doubted it was Arrow. He didn't want a phone and definitely didn't want to talk to me.

When I finally got home, Luna was already asleep. I wanted to ask why she lied about losing her v-card to Isaac, but maybe I didn't need to know. And did it really matter? I couldn't worry about other people's first times when I had yet to experience my own.

Instead, I spent the night researching "How to Make Someone Fall in Love with You" and started a new list in place of where my Boyfriend Bucket List used to be.

* * *

Fortunately, I didn't have classes Tuesdays and Thursdays (I chose to squeeze in four classes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) which saved me some time to...investigate.

Luna had English today, so I followed her to class.

"So...remind me why you're going to a class you're not even taking?" We walked along the sidewalk, the heat already beating down on us. It was only nine.

"I'm looking for Arrow."

"I thought you were done with that piece of-"

"I'm feeling inspired." I looked at number one on my new list: pursue lover, meet up. "Sure, he can leave. But psychology says that if you sit near a person continuously, even if you don't talk, that person will start to feel like they know you. You become familiar. And attraction sometimes develops over a period of constant flirting and sweet gestures. Here's my hypothesis: if I show Arrow what love looks like, then he will learn how to love and ultimately fall in love back."

"And to you, love is stalking someone and holding them captive till they love you. Isn't that also called Stockholm Syndrome?"

"This is different."

"Okay. So sweet gesture one is following him to class when he specifically moved away from you?"

"No. Sweet gesture one is buying him food. I just have to find him first." Which brought us to number two: buy lover their favorite food.

She raised her eyebrows and watched her boots as we walked. "Okay. Also known as bribing into feeling."

"Stop being so negative. You're a black hole to my optimism."

"Well, I'm just confused is all. We literally just went through this beautiful moment of reflection and self-realization over the weekend, declaring our positions as proud single women, empowering and choosing each other over the men who devalued us, and here you are chasing a guy again. Who gave you this nonsensical idea? It was Isaac, wasn't it?"

"I recently learned that what he shares with me doesn't concern you anymore."

Luna stopped and her eyebrows shot up in her signature what-did-you-just-say-to-me face. Those scared me; Luna wasn't afraid to fight, physically or verbally. "No seas idiota. Chasing after a guy is such a male-centric idea. Guys need to work for it, they put in the least amount of effort already."