Chapter 1

SEBASTIAN

The alarm clock screamed, waking me from my slumber. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and squinted at the sunlight that crept through my curtains. Sighing, I got up and got ready, quickly grabbing something to eat and my school bag before leaving.

I arrived at Rowell University in minutes, albeit I ran half the journey but I managed to get here without being as red as a tomato. I stalked through the doors of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences building, greeted by a few grumbling faces. In a sea of grey, I see a pop of colour. His face illuminating like a glowstick when he sees me.

"Yo Sebastian! What's up?" Marcus waved me over. We made our way to the lecture hall, sitting down in our first seminar of the day.

"Not much Marcus, you?" I ask, glancing around the lecture hall. There were multiple law posters strung up around the space, students sat in plush seats, chatting quietly, awaiting our lecturer.

"Nothing really. I've been so bored lately, sometimes I wish I was an undercover spy, at least life would be exciting." He chuckled, facing the board when our lecturer entered.

"Good morning class, today we will be studying contracts." Marcus and I shared a bored look, facing the board. We quietly groaned at the power point displayed across the wall showing paragraphs of writing.

"Finally! I thought it would never end." Marcus commented as we sat at our usual table by the window in the dining hall. He stretched out his back before digging into his meal, all table manners flew out the window; or were just non-existent in the first place.

"Yeah. Two hours of contracts, I can feel my corneas suffering." I sighed, rubbing my neck, trying to release the knot.

"I swear, Dr Vilas is an amazing teacher but the woman can talk," Marcus exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Marcus! That's not nice, and plus, it's her job." Logan (my other amazing friend) pointed out, flicking Marcus on the back of his head.

"But it's true." He whined, trying to flick him in return. They continued their flicking war, taking it to the extremes, making me zone out of their argument, absorbed in my thoughts until I was awoken by a small shy voice.

"Sebastian, can I... talk to you for a minute? Please?" I turned to face a girl with hair like fire. Her eyes blazed with fear and uncertainty. It was my friend Rachel, we've been friends since we started in Rowell Academy's nursery.

Nodding I stood and followed her out of the dining hall. We stood in the strangely empty hallway, so silent that you could hear a pin drop. I waited for her to speak up, watching her fiddle with her fingers. She finally met my gaze, nibbling on her bottom lip, something she'd do when she was nervous.

"What's wrong?" I hesitated, not wanting to scare her, "is everything alright?"

"Sebastian," she whispered in a small voice, anxiously wringing her skirt in her hands. "We've been friends for a long time, but I um, I... I like you! Not as a friend. I've liked you for a while and um... I-"

Before I knew it, with a mind of their own, the words left my lips, "I'm sorry, I have a girlfriend." I blurted, not realizing it.

Her brows drew together, but she smiled anyway, even though it was fake. "Really? Oh, I see. I'm sorry. I hope you both are very happy together."

"I'm sorry I-" I began.

She stopped me before I could finish, her eyes were glossy as she tried to fight the tears. But it was no use, they streamed down her cheeks anyway.

"No, it's fine. I, I should probably go, thank you for listening," she blurted.

I reached for her in hopes of comforting her, but she flinched away from my hands. I tried to ask if she was okay, but she ran off.

In the aftermath of the confession, I had realized what I had done. I felt awful, like my stomach was twisting and turning inside me. I lied, and now, I need to fix it.

'Cupid,

I need your help! My friend of over ten years confessed to me but I don't feel the same way. I told her I had a girlfriend, well, blurted it out before I could stop myself. I don't know what to do but I need your help. Please get back to me, I care for her a lot but as a friend.

7396'

Everyone knows the instructions of Rowell Academy's Cupid. We all received letters on the day of our arrival, found in our apartment mailboxes or slipped under dorm room doors.

I recited those instructions in my head as I stuffed my letter in an envelope and began my journey to the spare room on the other side of the Academy. When I arrived, there were groups of people there, more than what I would've expected. Chucking my letter into the male's box, I left as quickly as I came. Something I appreciated that was not in the instructions was the mutual agreement between us all not to tell others who were present in the room.

I spotted a familiar face out of the crowd, "Oliver?"

"Sebastian?" Oliver turned around with wide eyes, his cheeks flaming red.

"Who is it?" I ask, nudging him with my elbow. Noticing his embarrassed face, I quickly dropped the subject. "Never knew you liked someone." I teased, making small talk along the way to our apartment block.

I hear a something slide under my door, followed by the pitter-patter of footsteps. Dragging myself out of my cloud-like bed I walk to the door, my eyes going straight to the pink envelope. Opening it there was a card with 'Cupid' in black ink, a confidentiality contract, a number and a letter along with my own from earlier on.

That was quick.

'Sebastian King,

I'm am writing to you to arrange a personal meeting. Please meet me on the rooftop of Rowell Academy high school at 8:30 am tomorrow.

Cupid.'

When morning came, I found myself leaving for the rooftop at 8 am, hoping to be early so as not keep them waiting. My body shivered in the chilly weather, the sky fresh with the crack of dawn. Oranges and pinks danced in the sky, it was beautiful. My mind though, kept drifting back to Rachel, how hurt she looked, how she cried and ran. A heart-wrenching pain bloomed inside of my chest.

"Sebastian King?" I turn around to face a girl in a black coat. I nod my head, feeling intimidated by her presence.

I felt relieved when she smiled brightly and walked towards me with an outstretched arm. "I'm Libby Dixon." She introduced, displaying a white card with 'Cupid' in black ink, like the one I got last night.

"I'm one of the leaders of Cupid's database. I'm the one who breaks up relationships, do you have your contract?" I nodded, holding it out for her to take, nervously fidgeting while she looks it over. She then gestures for me to follow her, so I do.

We reach a door without a number on it and I patiently wait while she unlocks it, the open door reveals a high-tech room that leaves me breathless. There is a long, black, glass table in the middle surrounded by other students with laptops who smile at me as I enter. Like the classrooms, one wall is made completely out of one-way glass where there are more tables with more students. A technology student's dream room.

"Everyone, this is Sebastian King, if you don't have anything to help us then please continue working on your own case." Everyone nods and I take the seat that Libby gestures to. "My partner and my boyfriend will be over here shortly. Here is a folder with all our female cupids and their profiles. Choose whichever suits you. Remember, they need to be your believable girlfriend." Nodding, I take the file from her and begin sifting through the sheets.

After a while, Libby peeps at the file, "so, have you found anyone?"

"No, none of these girls would be a believable fit," I comment.

"Don't worry, we'll sort something out."