1.3 | the art of cupidity ✓

07 | nemesis

SORA CALLS JONAH THE NEXT MORNING TO MAKE SURE HE ISN'T PANICKING FOR HIS VALENTINE'S DAY DATE AND OFFERS HIM WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. But he still sounds too sleepy to process anything she's saying, and Sora has to occasionally speak extra-loud to keep his attention.

"She'll love it," she tells her friend. "Trust me—I'm a matchmaker, aren't I?"

Jonah grumbles into the phone and she sighs in disappointment. "Still don't trust me, I see," Sora scolds. "But anyways, have fun tonight."

The sound of his laugh through the line makes her smile. "I could say the same thing to you," he says. "Do I need you to give you The Talk—"

Sora squeals. "Bye."

The phone clicks off. And no, she thinks. I won't be needing The Talk for a while.

***

Valentine's Day only contains opposites: either single or taken; love or tears; smiles or frowns. There's no in between, and even the excuse of it's complicated oftentimes results in a week of moodiness and frustrated angst. Cupcakes in bakeries now sport buttermilk frosting the color of pink tulips and edible glitter, and Sora runs a fingertip along the glass as Los Angeles turns over a new, romantic leaf.

Excitement thrums through her body because for once, Sora won't be alone in her dorm. For once, she'll have somebody to spend it with—even if that somebody is a moody, terribly attractive sophomore named Rylin Carter who's probably more trouble than he's worth (he's not). There still isn't any label on them, but the two aren't particularly keen on relationships anyways, as she's too bold and he's too arrogant to admit it. So Sora doesn't buy a gift for him just yet and instead plans out her revenge on Sydney Bells's son-of-a-bitch ex-boyfriend who has a bad habit of falling into other people's beds where he doesn't belong.

She takes the slip of paper out of her pocket that has the restaurant name and reservation, and a frown finds its way across her lips as she realizes that Sydney's date is scheduled for three o'clock in the afternoon. And not only is that an awkward timing to celebrate on the day of love, but it's also quite suspicious, and so Sora brainstorms ideas on the best form of humiliation as the morning passes by.

Passing by Blue Bottle Coffee, she decides to pick up a quick caffeine fix and doesn't think twice about the price. I want an iced latte, Sora thinks. I deserve an iced latte.

When she enters, a curly-haired girl with piercing eyes works the register, and Sora, with a start, realizes that it's Eloise Park—Jonah's girlfriend. Jonah's lock screen. Jonah's everything. She can see why he's so infatuated with her; Eloise has a sort of hesitant, tentative glow around her, but she seems closed-off somehow, like she's afraid to open up to people just in case they don't see anything of interest.

It doesn't bother Sora in the slightest. "Hi," Eloise smiles at her, and she thinks that maybe a spark of recognition goes off in the other girl's irises. "What can I get you?"

"I'll have an iced vanilla latte," she orders. "No cream and no sugar." Even the way the two girls carry themselves is different: Sora herself is all fierce tenacity and unwilling composure, and Eloise is made of soft wildflowers and gentle touches. Not weaker in the slightest, but definitely—different. Different than what Jonah usually went for.

I hope it lasts, Sora wishes. I really hope you make Jonah happy.

Eloise laughs delicately. "It's on the house," she tells her. "It's great to finally meet you, Sora," she greets, and if Sora wasn't currently crushing on Rylin Carter, she'd definitely be falling for Eloise instead. Too bad the employee is in love with her old childhood friend, or else Sora might've charmed the pants off of her and taken her to her apartment overnight.