The Devil's Matchmaker

Caroline

I've forgotten how long it has been since I've felt angry and frustrated about something. I also didn't think that it'd be because of a man.

Anita and Ana dropped me off after a thorough check from my doctor finally allowed me to be discharged from the hospital. He did tell me to come back after a few days just to make sure.

When I arrived , Silver was more than happy to see me. I pat him on the head, fed him some dogfood and headed upstairs not to sleep but to wait for some sort of apology from Dante.

Our conversation left me baffled and it made me angry. His confession that sounded so earnest, so honest now seemed like an act. The fact that he was worried about people seeing us together and left me to someone else, hurt.

I waited for a text, a call so he could apologize but there was nothing. I fell asleep reading A Tale of Two Cities, the book he had given me.

**

As morning came and I had a glimpse of the book on the bedside table, it dawned on me that perhaps Dante wasn't Charles Darnay, Lucie's love interest but Sydney Carton, the drunk lawyer whose life was on a downward spiral.

I went to the studio to practice even if I was suppose to take a rest. I needed the distraction. Despite of Anita doing everything that she could to control the situation, someone from the hospital spilled the beans that I had been involved in the explosion at the garden. Various entertainment websites had now posted an article of it. It was the downside of being a celebrity and it was something I had to live with.

The studio was practically empty, on account of the tour ending and everyone was enjoying the break.

I was playing a few keys on the piano when I heard someone enter. I turned and saw Ana holding a couple of milkshakes and some fries.

She smiled at me showing off her dimples. "I thought you'd be here. I brought you brunch."

**

We sat on the couch and ate off the table inside the studio as we talked.

"You're not yourself today." Ana said. Worry was written all over her face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just disappointed." I replied.

"Dante?" Ana asked.

I nodded.

"I'm listening."

And so I told her about the garden, Dante's confession, the fluttering I felt and then his sudden disappearance.

"Did he tell you why he did what he did?" She asked.

I gave her a bitter smile. "Yeah, apparently he doesn't want to be seen with me. He told me it could hurt my career."

Ana was deep in thought. "He's not wrong you know."

That surprised me. "About what? He confessed his love and then left. Who does that?"

"Someone who's not sure of himself." Ana said. "And frankly I think you guys need to talk to each other. There's so much you don't know about one another."

"Since when did you become an expert in this sort of thing?" I asked her, then smiled. "I guess I was just caught in the spur of the moment. I was so frustrated I wasn't thinking of anything other than the fact that he left me."

"I've been reading self-help books." She said matter-of-factly. "You should read some too." Then she made a face and I laughed.

**

Dante

My trip to Purgatory only brought on many things to think about. Instead of answers, questions and mysteries continue to appear. I wanted to clear my head, a change of scenery that would distract me from the voices in my head, none of which I was keen on listening to.

Cerulean City's public park was packed. I checked my phone, it was half-past six. I still wasn't used to the minor disorientation that came from constantly warping from reality to Purgatory. I trained with Alucard for as long as time allowed. I was bent on attaining more power. It was the simplest solution to most of my problems. In fact, it was the solution to every problems. The exhaustion that came after brought on a gloomy darkness that pervaded my state of mind.

The house was empty when I returned. I had spent most of the day in Purgatory and felt like my body went through days of training. Mephisto and Asmodeus continued to disappear for such lengthy periods they're barely in the house anymore and if they did return it's always around the hours when I'm asleep.

I walked around the park, a drifter wandering in a sea of faces, thinking and not thinking of the things to come. I know overthinking things won't help but it's just the way that I am. So many uncertainties and insecurities continue to haunt me, none of which I asked for.

My phone beeped and I felt myself jolted back to reality, a text from Caroline.

*Hey.* That was it. Three letters from her was enough to latch me back down from the gray skies.

*Hey.* I replied.

*I'm sorry for my outburst last night.*

*I deserved it.* I felt guilty. *You were right. I'm just all talk.*

*Let's put that aside for now. What are you doing?* She asked.

*Just walking in the park.* I replied. *You?*

*I'm in the studio. I don't even know why I'm here.*

*I thought you were on a break.* I had stopped walking. Instead I found a tree, sat under it's shade and waited for her reply.

The phone rang instead.

"Wanna grab some coffee?" Her voice sounded tired.

I had began to discover the traits of someone caught on the throes of first love and one of them is the habit of saying yes to absolutely anything. "Name the place and I'll be there."

A slight pause. "How about the library?"

"Sure." The library was an excellent choice. Less people and the ones who went there didn't really pay any attention to other people. "I'll be on the second floor."