The Elusive Guide

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XAVIER PARK STOOD before us like a god standing before mortal worshippers. His eyes were slightly hooded over, a nonchalant expression oozing from his features. Lightly smacking his lips together, he took another sip of the drink he had in hand, head turning to stare back at us.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing once before he bit the inside of his cheek. Raising a hand to his head, he offered a two-finger mock salute, not once showing any other emotion on his attractive face.

"Yo."

Seeing that he wasn't a threat, I stepped out of Harr's shadow. Surprisingly, Xavier looked much calmer than I would've thought. There weren't any red eye bags under his eyes nor was his nose and cheeks tinged scarlet. That just further proved that Xavier Park was not a boy who cried. He kept everything inside, including his woes and his joys.

"What are you doing here, and uninvited at that?" Harr asked with a frown, walking over to snatch the cup from Xavier's hands when he raised it to his lips again. "And get your filthy hands off that cup. It's my favorite."

Xavier shrugged. "I was going to enlist your help but you seem otherwise occupied." Slowly, Xavier pivoted on his heel, tilting his head one side questioningly at me. "Aiko, right? Harr's girlfriend?"

That assumption made my lips curdle into an ugly smile, pinching them together as I squinted at him. I turned my head, sighing deeply at how instead of backing me up, Harr simply raised his eyebrows in a taunting manner. His words from before had been entirely accurate— apparently more than a handful thought we were dating just because of the amount of time we spent together.

"Just a friend." I waved the label off, dismissing the idea. "Just because we're of different genders doesn't mean that we're dating. Everything's platonic in my all too bland love life."

"Right." His attention was switched from me back to Harr, staring for a second too long before facing me once more. Xavier clicked his tongue, doubt in his tone, "Whatever you say."

"But my love life isn't what's interesting around these parts. It's yours. I've heard that you're still upset over Jules's rejection?"

My words made Xavier stiffen, his posture straightening with surprise. But as I continued to speak, that shock dimmed down into a frown. The corners of his lips were pressed downwards, the skin in between his eyebrows scrunched and wrinkled.

"I'll find my own method to deal with that. It requires no concern from you, rest assured," he spat. Gone was the friendly tone. All his words held were venom and a fractured ego.

He took a step forward, fists clenching at his side and ready to attack. At that point, Xavier Park was a cat that had been provoked to its limit. Any more would be past his breaking point.

Sensing that, Harr took a small inconspicuous step forward. He rested a hand on my shoulder, pulling me closer into his embrace. My shoulder knocked against his ribcage as he did so, squishing me close to him.

"Xavier, Aiko is Jules's best friend. She can definitely give you some pointers if you, I don't know, asked nicely?"

"As you said, she's Jules's best friend. Why would she help me instead of batting me away?" Xavier scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

His pupils trailed after Harr's hand, studying it with great intent before shaking his head. Running a hand through his dyed brown hair, Xavier walked towards the couches and away from the bar counters before slumping onto the cushions tiredly. He threw a leg up over one armrest, his left arm over the backrest, and eyes shut.

If only his body weren't so tense with burning irritation. He would've been the picturesque scene of idyllic perfection.

"It's not like I wouldn't care to help, actually." Smirking, I pulled myself away from Harr's grip, perching myself on the armrest of the chair beside where Xavier laid. "I have here a guide on how to love Jules Everett. If you're desperate, I don't mind sharing it with you for a small fee."

Xavier cracked an eyelid open. "A guide?"

Grinning, I nodded. "As Jules's best friend, I've compiled a desperate person's guide to becoming Jules's ideal other half. It's meant to help the people deemed worthy enough for the revered queen of heartbreak."

That seemed to be enough to get Xavier's attention. He sat up slowly, back hunched and knees bent. An arm was slung over his left knee as he turned his head a little so that he could look me in the eye.

"And how do you know if someone is 'worthy'?" He quirked an eyebrow up, still filled with hesitance.

Pushing myself back up to my feet, I patted at my pants leisurely. Bouncing over to Harr's room, I threw back a smile at a questioning Xavier and an amused Harr.

"I have a good eye for men!"

♕♕♕

The yellow faux-leather journal was small and compact. It probably held no more than two hundred pages. Out of that two hundred, it was most likely that less than a hundred were filled. Yet, there were colorful notes sprawled over the pages that were indeed written in. Drawings and diagrams were written, along with recipes, storybook or movie titles, and song lyrics.

For the people that truly wanted to capture Jules Everett's heart, the journal that was held in my fingertips could be considered a bible.

On the hardcover, only thirteen words were written in thick black permanent marker ink.

A Guide on How to Love Jules Everett

— as observed by Aiko Lee

"If you really want Jules to fall madly in love with you, I might be the only person that can help you with that." Waving the book around, my smile only stretched wider when I noticed Xavier's eyes following it.

Immediately, he reached over to grab it, leaning forward and pushing the desk chair in Harr's room out of his way so that he could get the book in his hands.

However, having long predicted Xavier's next move, I stepped away. I stood to a side and watched as he lost his balance from stretching too far, teetering where he stood before ultimately slamming into the ground face-first. From the door, Harr watched everything unfold. Xavier's ungraceful fall caused him to chortle in laughter, guffawing at his best pal's desperation.

"Ah ah, not that fast." I stretched out an empty palm, squatting down so that I could look Xavier in the eye. "I said there would be a fee."

Scowling, Xavier slowly got up to his feet. I raised with him, beaming brightly the entire way.

"What do you want?" he glowered.

"You know what, I'll put it on your tab. You owe me a favor. I'll collect it from you when I think of something." I turned my palm slightly. Instead of facing upwards at the ceiling, it now faced the side, prepped for a handshake. "Deal?"

As if doubting my words, Xavier eyed my hand cautiously. His pupils then moved to my face, squinting at my smile as if trying to find cracks or flaws in my offer. When he finally took my hand, his eyebrows were still knitted tightly.

His large hand enveloped my comparatively smaller one, grasping it for a single firm shake before letting go immediately as if he was holding a chunk of fiery hot coal. As soon as it came, the warmth of his hand was gone. Yet, that split second was all that was needed. Harr was present as a witness so Xavier wouldn't be able to worm his way out of the favor in the future.

"It's wonderful doing business with you, Mr. Park. Let's meet tomorrow at noon at KiddyzWorld." With that said, I stuffed the journal back into my bag, zipping it up before swinging it over my shoulder.

As I turned to leave, Xavier grabbed my upper arm, pulling me back.

"Why KiddyzWorld?" he queried, looking at Harr for answers as well.

Harr replied just as I pulled Xavier's hand off my arm, "It's where Jules is working at for the summer break."

I nodded in confirmation, patting Xavier's hand in a patronizing manner before throwing it back at him.

"See you tomorrow, boys! I've got a transformation to prepare for." With a wave and a skip, I was off, out of Harr's apartment and headed back home.

It was time to make Xavier Park shine brighter than ever before.

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