1.3 | the art of cupidity ✓

06 | iris

"YOU PISS ME OFF," SORA TELLS HIM AS SHE STICKS HER MIDDLE FINGER IN HIS GENERAL DIRECTION. "You and your arrogant attitude."

Rylin smirks and toys with his earring. "Look who's talking," he counters, and then whispers, "Ice Queen."

"Shut up."

"I can always do it for you."

Her mouth opens to say something and then stops as if reconsidering his offer, but then curls downwards once she sees his knowing expression. Rylin Carter is just the right mixture of sharpness and attentive duality that causes Sora's head starts to spin from the pain of whiplash. In the light of his car, he looks like a piece of sunwashed heaven: hair messed up and an endearing cowlick obvious towards the back of his head, skin healthy and glowing, and body lean and long. Attraction is always necessary in a functioning relationship, and she wonders if he finds himself lost when looking at her too, and if he thinks about if she's missing him. With his occasional slim chain and diamond studs and casual street clothing, Sora would've never guessed he was her type. Not when she prefers chunky sneakers and clothing fit for a second-grade boy over his fashionable tastes, and certainly not when he gets under her skin the way he enjoys it. But there are other tender moments where the real Rylin Carter shines through and it's not just the cool facade he presents to the world.

She points to the road ahead of them. "Where are we going?"

And when he turns around and grins at her, the galaxies stop spinning. "Sue's Corner," he says. "Is there any other place?"

No, Sora thinks fondly. There isn't.

***

When the familiar sound of the bell jingles through her ears and they choose a well-loved booth to sit in, Sue walks up to them and takes their order. Sora requests her all-time favorite dish (chicken and waffles), and Rylin (a new customer), favors the blueberry pancakes. He has a sweet tooth, Sora muses, and keeps this in mind for future references.

"Hi, sweetheart," Jonah's aunt greets her, and Sora plants a kiss on her cheek before sitting back down in her seat. She notes the way Rylin toys with the salt and pepper shakers, rips up the edge of a napkin, and clinks the silverware together in odd amusement; he doesn't ever stop moving, it seems. It's awfully endearing.

Conversion seems to flow easily between them, and it's only when she begins to laugh does she realize that Rylin's warm. Warm enough to melt the ice around her, and warm enough to transform her eyes into half-crescent moons when she smiles.

"Tell me about your business," he prompts with an elbow settled on the table, and Sora grumbles in protest.

She shakes her head and purses her lips in refusal. "It's embarrassing."

"It's not embarrassing, Sora Lee," Rylin comforts with a huff and just a bit of sass. "In fact, I think it's really interesting."

And so she does. "People pay me to hook them up with someone they're attracted to," she mumbles, and he chokes on his water as he comprehends her blunt words. "And sometimes, I'll get a request to play a role if I get paid more."

A pause. "What kind of role?"

"Well tomorrow," Sora elaborates, eyes flashing, "Sydney Bells is paying me to pretend that I'm an innocent girl that unknowingly had an affair with his two-timing boyfriend—I think she wants to dump him dramatically on Valentine's Day." The holiday celebrating love ironically brings in quite a few breakup requests, but Sora is extra meticulous with those applications just in case she gets caught in a sticky situation with no way out.