Sebastian Spencer. Now how could one describe this man without getting lost in his deep brown eyes or resist the urge to ruffle his silky brown hair? When Matilda had first seen him standing next to the erudite Eric Alderon and the athletic Phil Montfort, she had been glad that Ursula and Mal; her two best friends, had not chosen Sebastian. That way, she could like him without crossing any bounds of loyalty. 

It was hard to ignore him and even harder to not enjoy his company. He was just so handsome, witty, smart and oh, so charming. Because that is what he was; Prince Charming™.

He had a classical look about him with his tall, lean body that simply forced you to stare as he moved effortlessly about the room. He was athletic like his jock friend Phil but less bulky. He was intelligent like his brainy friend Eric but less pretentious. That was the best thing about Sebastian. With him, there was a sort of balance. He wasn't too much of anything and just enough of everything.

Since her teen years, Matilda had a strict policy of never ever acting like anyone's fairy godmother. She had decided very early on that she would live selfishly; no conjuring the perfect dress for the girl to wear to the ball, no pumpkin carriages, no glass slippers. If there was a ball to attend she would be the one attending it. If there were glass slippers, she would be the one wearing them.

But when it came to her two best friends, Mal and Ursula, she caved. Of course, it served her selfish purposes. They were her friends and hence their happiness was her happiness. She did it for herself really.

Without any hesitation she had helped Mal and Phil conveniently run into each other again and again and without even really trying, she had gotten Ursula together with Eric by botching a spell she put on him which Ursula conveniently broke by kissing him.

She hadn't really thought about the consequences of pairing up her friends at the time, but she did now.

Matilda hated romance. It was what her life as a witch had ingrained in her. She hated couples kissing in the park (who would inconveniently get bird poop on them, oops), office colleagues receiving flowers for Valentines (which would inconveniently contain some form of a stinky bug that would cause an uproar, pity), the 'you hang up first, no you hang up first' conversations (where the line inconveniently dropped, how sad) and especially the public displays of affection.

This she hated most.

Unfortunately, she could not hate her friends so she had to put away her scowl and the urge to puke when she saw Eric kissing Ursula just to shut her up.

"Kissing me will get you nowhere mister." Ursula said to Eric with a smile.

"I could think of a couple of locations it could take us."

"Ugh, not on the table, please. I can book you guys a room if you'd like." Sebastian said with eyes glued to his phone, typing away a work email.

Ursula threw her napkin at him, "Bas! Shut up!"

Sebastian laughed but still did not look up. His laugh wasn't that loud but still a couple of female heads turned in his direction. Matilda rolled her eyes as she got near to their usual table at The Nook, their regular restaurant.

"What'd I miss?" Matilda said as she took her designated seat. Their arrangement had become fixed when they had become a "gang" back in college; it went Mal, Phil, Eric and Ursula on one side with Sebastian and Matilda either on the other side of the table or on opposite ends of the couple train.

"There she is!" Mal said. "We missed you last week."

"Eric and I went diving with sharks this weekend," Ursula said with a satisfied grin as she hugged her boyfriend, "It was epic."

Eric was a sea enthusiast. He had made a career out of this particular interest— running a very successful company that offered water cruises and sea adventures to people looking to get off of land for their vacations. Ursula was a pastry chef (more properly, a baker but she hated the term) who often made cakes with water based themes. She was famous for her mermaid cakes.

"Great," Matilda feigned enthusiasm that convinced no body.

"Tilly has dev finished the features for 3.2?" Sebastian asked, finally looking up. Dev was development team who would code and create the features for their company's product. The latest release version was 3.2.

"It's still under QA." Quality Assurance, "We'll roll it out after two weeks probably."

Sebastian blew out a breath, "The client was hoping it would be this week."

"No talk of work." Mal commanded. Mal was a criminal lawyer who spent her day prosecuting Kinghaven's worst of the worst. Just her deep and intimidating voice would be enough to chastise any hardened criminal but that was coupled with her incredible height and statuesque figure which made her all the more terrifying during trials in court.

"Sorry Mal." Sebastian and Matilda said together like guilty siblings. Sebastian put his phone away.

"Can we order now?" Phil rubbed his abs, well defined to the point they were very evident under his crisp, white shirt. "I haven't eaten all day." None of the gang wanted Phil hungry for long. Phil had a tendency to get aggressive when hungry.

"Yes," Eric said to the group with a meaningful look, "Let us order everyone," the statement heavy with the implication: before Phil starts throwing cutlery around.

"I'm having my usual." Matilda declared. 

"Same." Sebastian declared.

"I think I'll try the fish this time." Ursula said.

"You hate sea food, you only want to eat that because of the arrangement." Mal reminded. It was true, the restaurant had a particular dish where the fish was plated beautifully with the fish's delicate tail curling upward.

"It looks so pretty though." Ursula said dreamily, interlocking her thick, small fingers in front of her chin.

"You make confections all day. You are always surrounded by pretty and edible decorations." Eric told her.

"Yes. And I want my savories to be pretty as well." She argued.

Eric grumbled but said nothing. He had been with Ursula long enough to know that she would order something exotic and make him eat it while she ate off of his plate.

"The chicken for me this time, please." Eric said, knowing that is what Ursula liked. She gave his long, thin fingers a squeeze under the table by way of thanks.

"I want... this, this and this." Mal pointed out three entrees for Phil to order for her. The gang, except for Phil, gave her an unusual look. Mal was not a light eater by any means, but three was too much.

"Are you sure you can finish all that?" Matilda asked.

"Um hmm." Mal said with a curt smile that let Matilda know that further questions would lead to dire consequences.

"Okay then."

They all gave their orders to the pretty waitress who kept making heart eyes to Sebastian.

"And what would you like to drink?" She said, eyeing Sebastian but obviously meaning it for the table. Everyone went with her recommended choice of drink except Matilda and Mal.

"No alcohol for me. Thank you." Matilda said. Although since they were regulars, she hoped the servers would remember this, but they never did.

"Oh, Tilly, I'll join you tonight." Mal said. Matilda was glad to not be the only one sober by the end of the night.

With their orders given, they went deep into conversations about their past week. Mal was hoping to become a junior partner at her firm, Phil, who was a football player turned statesman, talked about his family's political legacy and the pressure that put on him, Eric spoke more on the recent swimming with sharks adventure, Ursula talked about this wedding cake she had to finish in three weeks.

"It was epic you guys. You have to see." She showed them a picture of a towering artistic masterpiece. They all looked in awe.

"So what is up with you guys?" Mal asked Sebastian and Matilda, knowing they would offer similar stories given that they worked together. A sly look passed between the rest of the gang since the question was a trap.

"Just the release of our latest product. It's technical stuff, you guys wouldn't be interested." Matilda explained, sipping water from her glass.

"I mean if you can call it a release. Half the product still isn't complete." The comment was underhanded but a small teasing smile tugged at Sebastian's lips and Matilda knew he didn't mean it that way.

"Yes. It is totally the product team's fault that you guys keep promising unrealistic features to the clients." Matilda rolled her eyes in mirth.

"They're not unrealistic. Your team is too lazy to do it," Sebastian's brilliant, white smile spread from ear to ear.

"Aw look at them flirting," Mal said conspiratorially to Ursula. Both women placed their hands in front of their mouths as if a scandal has been witnessed.

Matilda and Sebastian laughed.

"Is that what we were doing?" Sebastian and Matilda leaned in closer together. They clasped their hands, interlocking their fingers and pressing their cheeks together, giving the most mocking expressions of love. 

Both Sebastian and Matilda had long since figured out that the best way to deny the gang's insinuations was not to deny them at all.

"I'm thinking fall wedding." Sebastian said. 

"Oh why wait darling? Why not here and now?"

"Let's get the minister."

"Yes! Lets. I am so glad you have decided to accept my pure, innocent heart." Matilda said and the gang burst out into laughter, even Sebastian. Because Sebastian the Prince Charming™ ending up Matilda the grouch was one thing, but her having a pure and innocent heart was an impossibility.

Matilda noticed how some of the women in the nearby tables stared at Sebastian and looked at her with envy. Matilda was a grateful that she was sitting beside him instead of pining for him from a different table.

"You guys can't blame us for shipping this," Ursula said, waving her finger between Sebastian and Matilda, "You guys are like, best friend goals."

"Which is exactly why we don't date. Why ruin a good thing, yeah?" He looked to Matilda for confirmation and she nodded in agreement. "Besides, it would never work. We're just too different." Sebastian said and Matilda hoped her smile did not seem as fake as it was.

"Exactly." She said, "Sebastian's a man whore and I'm too single to function."

The gang all ooh-ed and laughed in a shots-have-been-fired way and Sebastian joined them, not offended in the least.

"Hey!" he said in laughter, "I am not a man whore. I'm a Casanova. I am a lover. I enjoy romance unlike a particular old maid." Matilda punched him in the arm and he fake winced.

"She does have a point though." Phil added in his dudebro voice which was a smidge deeper than his natural voice, "I'm surprised you've haven't dated anyone recently. How long has it been since the red head? Two weeks?"

"Her name was Gwendolyn and yeah, it's been two weeks. What about it?" Sebastian said it in such a calm, tempered manner that she almost missed the warning he was giving Phil. Don't disrespect my ex-girlfriend.

Phil however, was thick as a brick, both physically and mentally. "She was pretty hot though." He said a little too lustfully for Matilda's liking. Mal was looking elsewhere and saying nothing. "You shoulda kept her around."

"Nah, man." Sebastian explained, "She got too serious. I don't do serious you know."

They knew.

Phil opened his mouth to say something else but Eric, the smartest of the group, cleverly changed the topic, "Matilda, why did you skip dinner with us last week?"

"If you guys must know, I actually went one a date," Matilda could not help but grin, hoping this would give her romance points with her gang.

"What?" Mal asked.

"Really?" Ursula said.

"Who?" Sebastian was curious.

"Was he blind?" Phil was the one to ask that. It was a joke that Matilda had never found funny.

"No," Matilda answered. "It was a guy from our graphics department."

"Which one?" Sebastian asked and Matilda wondered if it was jealousy or curiosity she heard in his tone.

"Noah. You know him?"

"Oh Noah! He's cute. I approve." Sebastian said encouragingly and Matilda felt a little deflated.

"Well it didn't work out. He's not my type," Also he found his true love.

"Aw, why?" Ursula asked.

"Well, he was too nice and you know me. I don't do nice."

"Do you do anything at all?" Phil said. Matilda kicked him from under the table. He yelped but didn't mind. Phil could be very obtuse but the fact that he could never be offended by anything sort of balanced it out.

"Why?" Eric the always inquisitive asked, "Did you believe his kindness to be an artifice or did you find him weak willed?"

"A bit of both I suppose." Matilda answered, not really understanding the question.

"Hmm. And did he—"

"Eric sweetheart, no psychoanalysis at dinner please." Ursula carefully said.

Their dinners came and all attention turned to food and it's hearty consumption. Conversation flowed much easily once stomachs were filled. Predictably Ursula abandoned the fish after three bites and Eric had to swap dishes with her. Surprisingly, Mal fished up three quarters of each entrée she had ordered and got the rest to-go.

By the time they were done with desert, the gang had settled into a comfortable silence. It was one of those things that with anyone else would have felt awkward. But the gang was close enough to enjoy each other's company without needing to say anything.

"Okay guys. We have some news." Mal sat up. Eric and Ursula looked at each other. Sebastian, who had been lounging back with his tie loose and hanging behind him, sat up straight and pulled his tie around.

Phil and Mal locked their hands together.

"We're pregnant." Mal said, looking expectantly at everyone.

A moment of silence.

And then eruption.

"OH MY GOD!" Ursula shrieked.

"Congratulations!" Matilda said with all the enthusiasm she could muster. Ugh, babies, Matilda couldn't help but think but quickly quashed the thought. It was a momentous moment for her friend and she would be happy for Mal. Always.

"I can't believe this! I am so happy for you guys," with this Sebastian enveloped Mal into a big bear hug from over the table. Phil slapped the scrawny Eric so hard on the back that he nearly fell off his chair. Eric didn't mind. He was elated at the news.

"I knew it! You avoided alcohol and you're already craving weird food. You're two, three weeks pregnant?" Eric guessed.

"Eric!" Ursula smacked him gently, embarrassed.

"Almost three weeks. Four now I think. But we didn't find out till after I started getting morning sickness. Can you believe it? We didn't even plan it!" Matilda can't help but notice the slight rise in pitch in Mal's voice.

Phil rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah. Totally unplanned."

Matilda put on a fake wide grin that hurt her cheeks and tried to make sure that her eyes were smiling too, otherwise she looked like a psychopath.

Another of the others. Another soul with a mate. Probably someone she'd have to care for. To her it felt like another assignment.

"Babies are the best." She said hoping no one would notice her lack of enthusiasm and luckily no one did.

"We wanted to tell you guys last week but Tilly wasn't there..." Mal explained and Matilda made a guilty face.

"Sorry Mal."

"It's okay Till."

"Okay you guys we have to take a picture of this moment." Sebastian, ever the sentimental one, got up as he was taking out his phone from his pocket. He did not look behind him, where a woman was trying to make her way between the tables.

She passed by just as he pushed his chair out which toppled her over. Sebastian's reflexes kicked in and he reached to grab the woman as she fell. Unfortunately, she had been falling face down and Sebastian ended up grabbing the wrong parts. The woman's luscious, golden curls covered her face, obscuring her from everyone. The boisterous gang immediately became eerily silent.

Everyone just stared, slack jawed but Matilda's mouth was open for a different reason.

"Where the hell do you think you are groping me?" The woman pushed her hair away from a freckled face, red with anger. In Sebastian's defense, only his arms were out and he was not actually grabbing any flesh. It was just unfortunate result of circumstance.

"Excuse me? I am not groping anything." Sebastian said, angry at the accusation. The woman's balance was still off so she had no choice but to let him help her stand. The second she was on her feet, she pulled herself away.

"Pervert." The woman spat at Sebastian then left in a huff.

"Crazy bitch." Sebastian said under his breath and took his seat.

The gang, all except Matilda— who was looking at Sebastian's head with a curious expression— had pressed their mouths tightly shut. Phil's face was the first to start wobbling in suppressed laughter. Seeing him, Mal lost control. Then they all laughed. Again, all except Matilda who was staring at the space Sebastian had been standing in.

The gang began teasing Sebastian who was too embarrassed to endure it like a good sport.

"Tilly you okay?" Ursula was the one to notice her not joining in.

"Hmm?" Matilda jolted out of her thoughts, "Oh yeah. Just, thinking about work."

Ursula chucked, "Right now? Right after Bas put on a show for us?"

"Come on, stop it." Sebastian put his face in his hands.

The laughter started again and Matilda pretended to join this time. She had to pretend, because she didn't know what else to do. It wasn't as if she could tell anyone what she had just seen. So she had to pretend she had seen nothing. 

She had to pretend that Sebastian did not justmeet his soulmate.