Her plan worked. The following week Bas came over to her with a wide grin, saying he had spent the most wonderful weekend with the most gorgeous curly haired woman. Granted it was just two dates; dinner on Saturday and a full day picnic on Sunday, but he still felt like he was on cloud nine.

"You were right Till. She's... something." He said dreamily.

Matilda had only planned on making him remember Kat this past Tuesday, but the spell had gone a little awry and she had to take it off. Then she remembered what he had once mentioned about the girl he had mistaken as "the one".

I kept seeing her face everywhere... I burned my toast.

She had only meant to replicate those experiences. But the flame spell got out of hand and the cabinet might have been a misjudgment but then he fell on his own and the knife was clearly Fate's doing.

As a witch, one had to be very careful not to anger Fate. Witches were almost superstitious about it. If there is one power you do not cross, it is Fate. So when she saw the knife fall, and felt the feeling that something else was at work, she stopped.

The movie glitch was something she had set on his account back on Tuesday but apparently he hadn't watched anything on Netflix all week. She thought she had failed again. But when she saw Bas with that stupid grin, she knew she had succeeded.

But something else bothered her. The dream-maker she had seen on his bed. It wasn't uncanny to see a magical object in the possession of one of the others. Sometimes they came across magic without intending to. But she didn't know what to make of it. Dream-makers gave dreams to whoever was using them; but the kind of dreams depended on which witch made it. Possibilities ranged from nightmares to curated adventure dreams. Sebastian hadn't complained of any nightmares so she assumed the thing was harmless.

Still, she decided she would destroy that thing if she got her hands on it again. She would have done it then and there but Sebastian had come out looking tall, muscular and gorgeous in only a towel. It had been so hard to keep her heart in check. All she could think of was putting distance between them without making a fool of herself.

Matilda decided to keep an eye on Bas and Kat, not wanting to leave anything to chance after the difficulties she faced in getting him to ask Kat out. Sebastian went out with Kat twice more before Matilda decided she would stop spying on them. The first time she stalked them was their third date. It was to the movies where she fell asleep, lost track of them but soon found them discussing classics vs new cinema, quite animatedly. She noticed that while both had different opinions, each wanted to hear what the other had to say.

Their fourth date was the following weekend when Sebastian took Kat out to an amusement park, much to Matilda's dismay. Despite being a witch who often rode on brooms, the rides she had to endure because of Sebastian and Kat were terrifying and by the end she was ready to puke.

Kat seemed to enjoy herself. She shared Sebastian's enthusiasm for danger and life threatening rides. They both even got headbands with cat ears on them and walked around like a sickeningly romantic couple. Matilda's nose remained wrinkled in annoyance (and partially form motion sickness) the entire time.

After that, he had taken her out for dinner. Matilda had to remain at an unoccupied seat at the bar where she could view their table perfectly. Of course, she was invisible the entire time, although a dog seemed to have noticed her presence when she had followed the couple after dinner.

They had gone back to Sebastian's place. Matilda didn't follow them then.

That night she had felt strange. Weighed down. And of course she would, she had been so busy with work and then with Sebastian when she wasn't working. She no longer needed to babysit the young couple since things seemed to be going smoothly for them.

Maybe now she could focus on herself for a while. She decided to take up exercise, an intention that only lasted five days. When that failed, she decided she should learn how to cook instead of relying on takeout. She spent an entire week cooking up exotic recipes which ended up looking like charred coal and almost burned her place down. Afterwards she found herself in a slump and spent an entire two weeks lounging around doing nothing, while trying not to think about what Sebastian was doing.

This was how an entire month passed; in a montage of self-improvement techniques that were all in vain. While Sebastian became more and more occupied with Kat and less and less with Matilda. He began to skip their weekly Friday night dinners and even lunches at the office. Ursula asked Matilda what was up and she had to make up excuses about work.

Eric got dangerously close to guessing the real reason.

"He's been skipping gym with us in the mornings." He stated curiously.

"And he didn't show up for our Sunday brunches for the past two weeks. Even Alton was pissed." Phil reminded.

"You guys have weekly brunches with Bas and Alton?" Matilda asked.

"Well not Alton. He's just always there and it's rude not to invite him." Phil explained.

"I don't think that guy really goes out unless it's for work." Eric commented. "But no, I'm curious about Bas. He doesn't have work on Sundays does he? And your Release isn't due till the end of February right? So what's the deal?" He pointed his fork at Matilda.

"I don't know man. I don't see him at work these days either. He's always working."

"Hmm. Have you noticed any women around him lately?" Eric pursed his lips, zeroing in on Matilda. His gaze felt unnerving and Matilda found it hard to lie. Still she had to.

"Not really. He's only with the guys in Marketing."

"Doesn't Bardford Calhoun's daughter work in Marketing? Sarah I think?"

"Savannah. But she doesn't really "work"" Matilda made quotes with her hands, "She just says she does and they let her since her dad's a big investor."

"Interesting."

"What are you thinking bro?" Phil said with a sly smile.

"Well... the only time Sebastian was this absent was when he had that mystery woman back in college. You remember how he got?"

"Ooh yeah," Phil winced, "It was like his balls got cut off. It was hard to see it happen to a bro."

"Well I'm thinking..."

"You're thinking way too much into this," Matilda mimicked his tone, "Seriously. It's just work. I didn't even realize you guys hated hanging out with just me. I'm a little hurt." She pouted.

"Oh Tilly you know that's not true!" Ursula said and thankfully this changed the subject.

Besides her Friday dinners, Matilda wasn't going out very much, which kept her in a dour mood. She wished she had something to occupy her. Luckily for her, Mal called up that Wednesday, wanting to chat over lunch.

"I can't believe he said that." Mal said with her brows furrowed. They had gotten to talking about Sebastian and his family and somehow it got to Alton. It had started off like this.

"He's actually very interesting," Mal had started, "That is if you get any time with him. He's always so busy."

"I wouldn't want to spend another minute with him." Matilda has said scornfully.

"Why not?"

And so Matilda relayed the entire ordeal. As she spoke she was surprised with how bothered she actually was with how Alton treated her. She thought she didn't care but really, she had just ignored her own feelings.

"I can't believe he said that."

"I can't either," Matilda sipped her tea.

"No I mean I literally cannot believe it. Are you sure he called you a gold digger?"

"Not in exactly those words but it was implied."

"Huh," Mal seemed lost.

"What?"

"I know the guys always say that Alton's an elitist but... I've never heard about him being this rude."

"Maybe he paid people off to keep them silent."

Mal rolled her eyes, "Seriously, he's always been a gentleman to all women. At least that's what I've heard."

"He may be kind to rich women. But he's an ass to those he thinks are beneath him."

"He was good to me."

"That's because you're with Phil and he likes Phil. I don't have any rich guy to back me up."

"And now you can't have Sebastian either."

"Eh, I didn't want him anyways," Matilda said looking at the brown liquid in her cup.

"And sorry for always pushing you guys together. I guess that didn't help."

"I would appreciate it if you guys would stop though. Don't tell the guys about Alton calling me a god digger, okay?" Matilda requested, "I don't want Sebastian and his brother fighting over this."

Mal nodded. They sat in awkward silence that had nothing to do with the topic and more to do with the fact that neither of them knew what else to talk about.

It wasn't as if Matilda and Mal didn't get along, but the group dynamic had always been Mal, Matilda and Ursula. Always together. Ursula and Mal would share details about their exciting lives and Matilda would give snarky comments.

When it was just Matilda with just one of the other two, it made for many long, awkward pauses. Matilda didn't know what to say. Both of the women had such different lives. They had hordes of friends, office gossip and love lives; none of which Matilda could relate to.

"So what else has been new with you?" Matilda offered.

"Oh nothing much," Mal stirred her tea, "just baby stuff.

"Oh is everything with the baby okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just checkups and... stuff."

Another awkward pause.

What are you supposed to say to a pregnant woman?

"Mal... why didn't you invite Ursula? It wasn't as if she was busy."

"I know she wasn't... I just... things between Eric and her are so good..."

"And things between you and Phil aren't?"

"Well... I mean... there's just so much pressure Tilly." Mal rubbed her temple, "Phil's parents, they're great and all but they expect so much. And they make me take these weird classes."

"Already? Isn't it a little too early for that?"

"Right? I've been listening to Bach all week because apparently it'll make the baby smarter. I mean I don't even know the gender yet!"

"Yikes."

"And they're so anal about it being a boy. Because apparently we're still in the eighteenth century and boys are better than girls. And Phil's mother," Mal narrows one eye, reminding Matilda of pirates, "she keeps saying these back handed comments about how she hopes the baby inherits more from Phil because my genes are just not good enough apparently."

Mal closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

"Sorry, I just... it's been a lot these past couple of weeks."

"Don't worry Mal. You can talk to me." Matilda put her arm around her.

"I know," Mal sqeezed her hand, "I mean I'd usually talk to Phil about this but things have become so dry between us lately."

"Dry?"

"It's like, in the beginning we had this sparkle you know? This shine and now, with the baby and everything, I feel like I've lost my shine."

"Nonsense," Matilda said, "you guys still have that shine. I can see it." She could.

"What does it matter if you can see it Till? I don't see it anymore. And I'm sure Phil doesn't either."

Matilda nodded understanding, this is what happened in relationships. You went in hot and heavy thinking the other person was the best thing that ever happened to you. But then the rose colored glasses came off and suddenly the quirky, messy artist was a lazy, disheveled, unemployed bum. Or the hard working, goal oriented career woman was a hard ass with a harsh tongue and no consideration for others.

The initial glow would fade away and you would be stuck with disappointment.

This stage would often get to many couples, even soulmates. This is why even with the right person, couples would feel a strain on their relationship. This was where even true love became a matter of circumstance. The right circumstances let couples stay together and the wrong circumstances led to disaster.

"Listen," Matilda took both of Mal's hands in hers and looked her right in the eyes, "you know me right? I don't bull shit about things like relationships. Heck, I don't even agree with the entire thing. Down with romance!" Matilda pantomimed throwing a cup on the floor. Mal laughed.

"But if there is one thing I know with certainty, it's that you and Phil belong together. Call it destiny, call it chemistry, whatever. But I know that what you guys have is rare and not everyone gets that."

Mal nodded but Matilda felt she wasn't convinced. Matilda didn't know what else to tell her. If she could show her the magical glow Mal shared with her husband she would.

"It's probably just pregnancy hormones." Mal said.

These were moments where Matilda wished her mother was still alive. She understood the others like Mal better. Matilda could never find the right thing to say in such moments, so she chose not to say anything and decided to just be there for Mal.

After lunch the women chose to walk to their work places. Mal's law firm was just three blocks from where Matilda worked. At the junction where they were supposed to part Mal turned to Matilda.

"You know—and I'm only saying this because of Bas but—Alton's not that bad. I mean he has his prejudices but... he's not exactly a bad person."

"You're defending him?" Matilda said incredulously.

"No. I just... he's been good to me and Phil you know?"

"Yeah. Because of Phil. Not because he liked you!"

Mal flinched and Matilda realized she had said the wrong thing.

"I didn't mean—"

"I know. And for what it's worth I used to think the same thing before I got married. Did I ever tell you he tried to talk me out of it?"

"Why am I not surprised?"

"But... give him the benefit of the doubt yeah?"

"Why are you saying this?"

"I'm not supposed to talk about it."

Matilda didn't push it. She didn't care about Alton and didn't care to learn anything about him.

She didn't get to think about him for too long because another thing occupied her at work.

"I ca—I ca—" Cara whimpered through furious, thick tears streaming down her red face, "I can't be-believe he-hic-he broke up with meeeee." Matilda held her close to her, partially to comfort her and partially so that she would not see the contorted, awkward look on Matilda's face.

She hated crying women. But this one happened to be a friend so she had to at least pretend to sympathize. In reality she felt tired, like a parent whose patience had been tried by a disobedient child that refused to listen to their warnings.

They were in the bathroom again. This time it was only Savannah from Marketing, applying her makeup and pretending not to listen. Matilda didn't care. The shouting match between Cara and Calvin that had taken place in the cafeteria, prior to this had basically announced what happened to the entire office.

Matilda felt that Cara should be thanking her stars that Calvin had broken up with her after hours and only in front of Noah and his friends. They would be cool enough to keep the fight to themselves and not have Cara and Calvin fired for this kind of behavior

"Did he give a reason why?" Matilda pulled her self away from the tiny woman to get her a paper towel from the dispenser.

"He says he's in love with someone else. Some two-bit harlot he met a month ago." She said the word in such shaking fury that she reminded Matilda of Yosemite Sam.

"We've been together for over a year and he's dumping me for some skank with bigger boobs!"

"How do you know she had bigger boobs?"

"Because he told me!" She wailed. Matilda's brows shot up in a 'yikes' move. Then her face softened with sadness.

"Well... screw him. He doesn't deserve you and he especially doesn't deserve to make you feel so miserable. Why let him have that power over you? Stop feeling so bad about losing him and celebrate that you got rid of him! Prove that you are better than the woman he left you for." Matilda hoped that the words that helped her get over many a heartbreak would help Cara. But they seemed to be having the opposite effect.

"That's easy for you to say," Cara's face contorted again, "You have fucking Sebastian Spencer."

Matilda rolled her eyes, there it was again, Cara's ridiculous belief that she and Sebastian were secretly dating. She was tired of hearing Cara whine about how she and Sebastian were supposedly together.

Honestly, where does Cara get these ideas? Matilda didn't bother arguing. Cara was in a mood and she had no idea what she was saying. Matilda felt subdued with how the bubbly woman was now reduced to rubble because of some guy.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you Cara." She hugged the woman again.

"I can't believe this! I thought he was the one Matilda. I really thought..." She began sobbing, gasping for breath with each hot tear that rolled down her cheeks. She went limp and Matilda was the only thing keeping her up.

"You want me to get you home?" Matilda planned on teleporting them to Cara's home. The Law of Logic would take care of the rest.

"No." Cara sniffled, "No. I plan on getting hammered tonight." She pulled herself away from Matilda and wiped away her tears. She turned on the faucet and rubbed away everything from her face; the tears, the pain, the makeup.

Matilda winced at the thought. "You really think getting drunk is the way to deal with this?"

Cara emerged from the sink a deranged pixie; thick mascara flowed from her eyes down her cheeks like the tears of a gothic fairy, her bangs had gotten wet and stuck to her forehead in spikes, her pouty lips a scowl to make even a witch like Matilda shiver.

"Well I'm not going home." Her cracking, high pitched voice broke the effect of her face, "I feel like I might shrivel up and die if I go home and find he isn't there."

"Come to my place. We can watch a movie, have some ice cream." Things Matilda did to soothe her perpetually broken heart.

"I don't like ice cream. I don't want to watch a movie. I want to forget I ever met that bastard." She seethed. Matilda appreciated her anger. Anger was better than being sad.

"Okay then. Drinks it is. Where do you wanna go?"

Captain Flint's was overcrowded again, but they seemed to have hired more people. A couple of waitresses bustled around and there were now three bartenders instead of just two. Matilda and Cara shuffled to find a table in the corner.

"You know I'm starting to dig this pirate theme. I'm getting Halloween inspirations from this place." Matilda commented but Cara's eyes were elsewhere, staring intently with her pouty lips pressed tightly.

Matilda turned to where she was looking and she saw Calvin from IT with a very voluptuous blonde sitting in his arms. He was whispering something in her ear and she was laughing. Even worse, they had a glow between them.

And just when I thought we might just enjoy a peaceful night out.

"No!" Matilda scolded, "You are not thinking of going over there."

"You said it," Cara explained, "You said I had to celebrate getting rid of him. And prove that I was better than that... that hussy!"

"I didn't mean that you should actually do it in public!" Matilda hissed.

"I'm going to go over there," Cara didn't seem to be listening.

"NO! You are not to engage with him. We are leaving right now."

But Cara was up and Matilda grabbed her wrist.

"Tilly, let go."

The room was crowded enough that their little fight was drowned out by the general chatter from the customers.

"Nope." Matilda stated.

"Tilly!" Cara tried to wriggle out of her grip and her tiny hands began to slip through Matilda's fingers. She grabbed Cara by the waist.

"Are you insane?!"

"This is for your own good." Matilda held on but the woman was stronger than she looked.

"I'm just going to say hi," Cara strained to speak against Matilda's vice like grip.

"No you're not." The women struggled, causing some curious looks around them. Their table shuffled away as Cara tried to move and Matilda held her back.

"Matilda?"

Both women stopped in their tracks as they saw Sebastian with a stunned look on his face. His tie was loose and he had unbuttoned his collar. His hair was a little disheveled and his cheeks were pink as if he had been running.

His lips were smeared with pink lipstick.

Matilda felt a strange tingle in her heart.

Behind him was Kat. Her lipstick was a bit messy. The knowledge that they had been making out made Matilda feel heavy and uneasy.

"And Cara?" he asked, "What are you guys doing?"

The women straightened up. Matilda brushed her jacket and Cara adjusted her dress.

"We were just..." Cara began.

"Girls night."

"Yup. Girl's night." They both nodded in unison.

"Uh-huh," Sebastian's sly smile meant he would badger Matilda about it later, but for now he would drop it.

Both Matilda and Cara looked at Kat and Sebastian realized he had to introduce her.

"Oh, um. This is Kat. Kat this is Cara. She works at our company. Matilda you already know,"

"Hey," Matilda said casually. But now it was Cara's turn to be curious.

"Hi there Kat. Nice to meet you," she extended her hand, "How do you know Bas?"

"She's just a..." Matilda could see the cogs turning in Sebastian's head when they really should not be turning at all. It was this hesitation that made Kat's relaxed face a little stony. He glanced at her and she opened her mouth to form the word "Girlfriend."

"She's a friend." Sebastian answered before Kat could speak. Kat looked at him curiously but then nodded in an awkward agreement.

"Yup. Just friends."

Not even Cara was naïve enough to believe that. But like Sebastian, she said nothing, fully planning on pestering Matilda about it later.

"Well it was very nice to meet you," she said and before Matilda could stop her she left with an, "excuse me I had to go say hi to someone."

"Wait. No." But Cara was gone, walking towards Calvin who at some point had already noticed the women.

"Has Calvin started seeing someone else?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh you left early today?" To go see Kat?

"Yeah, why?"

"They had this huge fight in the cafeteria. Broke up just hours ago."

Sebastian looked over to Calvin with his arm around the different girl, "Yikes."

"That's what I said."

"Um, I'm gonna go." Kat said, going back to gather her things.

"Wait. Kat." Sebastian went after her. Matilda wondered which disaster she should follow. The fight that Cara and Calvin seemed to be starting—their conversations becoming heated with every pointed finger Cara jabbed in his chest—or the mess that Sebastian had made by calling Kat a friend and not his girlfriend.

Cara's attempt was already doomed. Calvin had found his soul mate. There was no way she could intervene.

Matilda decided to go with the couple she couldactually help.