My entire being feels like lead as I flee from the emergency staircase and make a dash for the elevator needing to be in my apartment and under the covers of my bed, either fighting back tears of frustration or over-thinking what just transpired.

Managing to press the correct elevator button leading to my floor, I lean against the cold, almost mirror-like wall and sigh in exasperation with a single consuming thought; the President's son likes me. Zander Nolan likes me. 

And it's this realisation that makes me gnaw at my lip while my palms become slightly sweaty from the battle of feelings within me; I'm terrified yet slightly pleased, if not ecstatic. Groaning, my mind decides this is the perfect moment to wander off to recall our kiss and I have to almost slap myself to avoid reliving the feeling. Gawd! I must be so physically deprived that I'm becoming a wreck over a kiss! A damn kiss...although it wasn't just any kiss.

Grunting, I start tugging at the ends of my hair before stepping out of the elevator and make my way to my apartment in a trance, "this is not good for you Catherine," I grumble to myself, walking straight to my room and crawling into bed, wrapping the blankets around me like a protective barrier.

Settling among sheets and blankets, I let my mind freely wander and groan out loud and blush from embarrassment as I recall my hasty declaration of getting Zander hitched as well as threatening to find Richard Young a match; I had entertained the thought, and even now I really want to but having seen the look on Zander's face when I mentioned Richard sends a tingling sensation along my spine. Somehow he makes me feel like I've done something wrong, my comments injudicious or insensitive.

Falling back till my head hits a pillow, I stare at the ceiling with so many questions rushing through me, there's so many things Zander needs to explain to me! Has everyone been leading me on? Letting me assume a sense of anonymity when in reality, my identity has been known to everyone these past few weeks?

I'm so overwhelmed by my thoughts that the sound of my phone blaring makes me yelp, and I glance down at the screen to see Celia's name and answer on the second ring, "hello?"

"Hey Cat, I need you to go over one of the files for me since I forgot to bring the hard copy with me when I went out to do some field work."

"Hmm...um, yeah okay." I mutter absentmindedly.

"What's wrong? You don't sound normal?"

Sighing, I can't help but roll my eyes. "Was my normal ever normal?"

"Err, yeah. For the most part it was."

"Hmm, tell me. Did you know that Zander knows? "

She inhales sharply, her breathing heavy on the other end of the line, "Wah...wait. Is this about...yeah I did know."

"CELIA! When?" I yell out incredulously, jumping from the volume of my own voice before glancing around the room swiftly.

"Remember how I told you that I couldn't find any information on his little slip up or controversy with a fiancee? Well after that I went over to his place and demanded he tell me what was going on and I heard his side of the story. It's one ugly mess, but not of his own making."

"So you've known for several days?" I hiss bitterly, clutching the blanket with my other hand.

"Yeah you could say that...look Cat, I'm sorry but his reasons were really personal and you shouldn't be hearing those things from me."

"Gee, thanks best friend." I drone out flatly.

"Ouch. If it makes you feel any better I wanted to punch his face right there and then but I felt sorry for the guy since out of all the people in the world he ended up liking you, and that's a challenge in itself!"

Startled by the change of subject, my mouth hangs open, yet sadly no one is around to see my look of disbelief. She's blaming me? "Why the hell are you taking his side? And excuse me?"

"Cat, you're so oblivious to the way he looks at you and how much he cares - "

Not letting her finish, I interject with venom, "That's because he pities me."

"No he doesn't!"

"Or feels guilty."

Scoffing, Celia starts muttering something I can't really hear before addressing me with a severity I thought parents could only possess. "Yeah right! He likes you, idiot! Maybe he did feel guilty and he might still feel guilty but that's a given! Look Cat, your story can be hard to swallow but not letting people feel for you just seems wrong. I don't know if I'm even making sense, but don't let someone willing to hold your hand and console you, prevent you from opening the doors of that cage of yours."

"So I'm meant to just agree with Zander? Say yes to a confession I didn't even see coming and from a potential client no less? Am I the only one who sees the problem here? We've been working weeks on this and I'm meant to just throw aside all our hard work?" At this point I'm fuming, deflecting the anger I feel at myself onto Celia. 

Deep down, I know where she's coming from. Hearing a kid being bullied during a vulnerable moment in their life and quite literally seeing the effects of what occurred in the present, can't be easy to watch but what upsets me more than anything is that I approached this with a business mindset and was only willing to budge to form a friendship of sorts.

I had everything laid out meticulously, all the files consisting with bits and pieces of information I've had to scrape during all my encounters with Zander. The time, the acting, the planning...all for what? To be had at my own game? But this wasn't just a game, this was my bread and butter.

Shaking myself out of thoughts that threaten to become darker and self-indulgent, I heave a pensive sigh before asking the next thing that comes to mind.

"But I don't get one thing...what about you and Patrick?"

"Oh that? Patrick told me he knew about our Matchmaking business when we went to the aquarium. He told me Zander intended on telling you at some point and that he really does need your help to mend his public image. Anyways, he asked me to give you two space, since he said Zander liked you - but even Zander feels conflicted since he approached you for a purely business reason as well."

"And you actually agreed?"

"I'm tired of seeing my best friend lonely! But seriously Cat, how could you not want him?" Her voice drops an octave, curiosity evidently hanging in the air.

"I-I...I never said...I mean, it's not like that!" I stammer out, at a loss for words.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say. So then...since your asking all these questions I guess he's finally confessed eh? Well, congrats you two!"

"We're not...there's nothing going on!" I yell, amazed that she's pieced my incomprehensible words together to come to a solid conclusion.

"YOU ACTUALLY SAID NO?"

Wincing from her harsh tone, I close my eyes, "I technically said I would find him the girl of his dreams and get Richard Young a match..."

"My friend's an idiot." Celia mutters, unsympathetic towards my predicament.

"Shut up!"

"I can't believe you would say no! Who does that?"

"Um, me?"

"He's probably devastated, poor guy."

"What about me? I thought I was your friend, how come you're worrying about him?"

"Because I'm sure you made a scene and acted stupid when you rejected him."

"No...I didn't!" I cry defensively, biting my lip from telling her the truth, which just happens to be exactly what she suspects.

"Ha, you hesitated! I can't believe you'd do something so...so dumb!"

"I'm sorry okay, I panicked and I'm still freaking out!"

"Over what? About him liking you? That's only natural."

"No Celia...I-I...I don't have the confidence to go through with this. And I'm not just talking about Zander's confession, to go public as a matchmaker is an inconceivably insane idea."

"Aw Cat, now you're making me feel bad! Look, that's how things are sometimes, you should just trust him and gain the confidence you seek."

"I...can't."

"Fine, well that's my advice but don't you dare lock yourself at home and hide!"

Hanging up, I throw the phone aside and stare at it marvelling at how perceptive my friend was. I plan to do exactly what Celia doesn't want me to - I'm going to hide like the coward that I am. There's a small part of me that wants to march right up to Zander and demand he explain everything in detail, while another part of me just wants to kiss him again and forget everything.

Does this mean I don't regret anything that's happened? Groaning, I close my eyes wanting sleep to just take me and with one last constrained sigh, I roll up into a ball and shut my eyes closed.

**************************

~ Two Weeks Later ~

Furiously typing like a maniac, I absently feel for my mug of hot chocolate while scanning the contents of a lengthy email. 

I've had to sacrifice several nights of sleep in order to correspond with clients overseas, spending hours chatting online via chat-rooms with highly strung mothers or pissed off fathers who either wished for their kids' happiness or simply wanted them off their hands. And to add fuel to the already burning fire, my online grocery order came out to include six boxes of peaches when I had selected one online — anything, and everything is getting on my nerves at this point.

Sighing, I take a audible slurp of my hot beverage before leaning against the back of my chair and rub a finger against my right eye; I've developed zombie bags that were unhealthy and mortifying from staring at a computer screen...who the hell singlehandedly would want six boxes of peaches!

After rubbing my poor eyes, which does nothing to make my bags disappear, I exit all my tabs and windows and shut the computer off, loving the blank canvas of a black screen.

Swivelling around in my chair, I stare out the window as the wind was picking up and the snow becoming thick and vile - a snowstorm is coming. Great, now I'll be panicking and up all night! It's days like today that I wish I had a fireplace to create some kind of winter wonderland ambiance like a few of the penthouses and units in the building but Ms. Zhao was sure to give me the apartment no one else would want to move into. 

Feeling slightly apprehensive, I move to the thermostat to turn up the temperature, something I've done more than once this past week since I couldn't be bothered with living economically with so much lack of sleep. The biting cold was not helping my mood or the emotions I've tried swallowing back a couple of times. And it definitely wasn't helping me forget a particular pair of intensive green eyes.

Rolling my eyes at where my thoughts were headed, I can't help but give out a strained laugh. I haven't seen or spoken to Zander for over two weeks. And for all I know, he might have moved out.

Frowning now, I picture the apartment next door empty and bare with a dull atmosphere if the boys had really left. Would Zander really not tell me if he was moving out? Wouldn't he at least say goodbye? 

Maybe he left to feed his dog? Wait, does he even have a dog?

But what about my cactus? He can't leave without saying goodbye to the cactus!

Irritated at myself, I throw my hands in the air dramatically before crossing them against my chest and lean against the wall. I don't even know what I want! I've been doing what my mind tells me is logically right but another part of me longs to walk over to Zander's place and apologise; I've grown attached to two lovable idiots. I've missed their company, even their bizarre antics and the absence of them has made me depressed, restless, and converted my heart to be fickle for two weeks! 

Blinking to obliterate the moisture that threatens to surface, I jump a foot in the air at the sound of pounding knocks against the door. Hesitatingly walking to it, I yank it open expecting to see Zander, only to find Ms. Zhao preening at me with slitted eyes. 

"Catherine. We need to talk," she said hurriedly, rushing past me and seating herself on the couch, making herself comfortable before glancing at me to take a seat opposite her.

Not bothering to argue, I shut the door and trudge the few steps it takes and sit on the adjacent couch wondering what she could have to say that was so urgent.

"I'll be brief. You've got to help him."

My eyebrows shoot up questioningly, "Help who?"

"Zander, of course."

"I'm sorry what — "

"Haven't you watched the news or read anything online?"

With lips set thinly and a slight grimace, I give Ms. Zhao a blank look, "I really don't follow, Ms. Zhao. What's going on with Zander?"

"What's going on? Don't pretend you haven't a clue! It's on the headlines of every tabloid article and social media page! Zander got into a massive argument with his fiancée and the whole thing is now rumoured to be blown off! There are clips and snippets of their argument circulating on every portal!"

Twirling my fingers, I stare at them listlessly, the wheels in my head turning rapidly as I process what she's just told me. Was Zander so naïve that he would create a bigger scandal to the one already tarnishing his reputation? His celebrity status was already tanking but this will push him off a crumbling cliff where he can barely hold on.

"And why does that concern me?" I finally asked, the tone of my voice nervous and breathless.

"It concerns you because he's been trying to get on your good side! I didn't like any of this but wanted you two to have some fun. Him with whatever this chase is and you, assuming you've snatched and secured the bag by having him as your client."

"So what you're telling me is that you knew that he knew."

"Of course! What do I not know?"

Sighing, I finally look up and give her a feeble smile. "Everything, you clearly know everything."

"Catherine, listen to me. I never thought I would grow fond of the boy but he's been very kind and has managed to keep himself under the radar all this time. I had a condition that he wouldn't bring a media mass on the grounds of this apartment complex and he's held up his end of the deal which means this has been a consequence of something personal."

"Ms. Zhao, if you think I'm involved in any way then I'll stop you right there because I had no idea and haven't spoken to Zander in two weeks."

"I'm not saying I don't believe you, but the media has never gotten a whiff of what goes around here even with Randy. Who frankly, sucks when it comes to being investigative. The complex has the intentional design to be unassuming and plain like any other building in the city but that masks all the luxurious held inside each of the buildings. I've worked hard to make this complex what it is today but the security team as spotted journalists sniffing about lately in light of Zander's most recent scandal and I don't like it."

Giving her head an emphatic shake till her pins loosen and strands come undone, Ms. Zhao rises from the couch and moves towards the door. "All I'm saying is that he could use a matchmaker who wields more power in the social circles of the upper crust and put a band-aid on it. I don't want to kick him out, and believe it or not, I like the two of you."

"I'll keep that in mind," I managed to heave out, my chest heavy with a pangs of worry and shut the door.

Walking the short distance to my desk, I grab my phone and text Celia knowing all too well what I have to do; I need to go over and knock on Zander's door. 

Reading Celia's response, I huff with new found determination and make myself presentable before trudging with trepidation to the door I've avoided and averted from for two weeks.

Knocking feebly, I'm reminded of the first time I made the decision to become a 'friendly neighbour' and snort at my own stupidity. Look where that's gotten you, you fool.

I'm so absorbed in  my own self-degrading musings that I don't even notice the door pulled open with a silent creek until Zander calls out to me, "Cat?"

Surprised, I look up to see his face pinched and forlorn but nevertheless, he's wearing his signature easy smile. "Um, hi," I murmured.

"This is a surprise."

"Yeah, I'm surprised too."

Opening the door wider, Zander gestures for me to come in and I mimic his despondent silence and step in before following him to sit at a bar stool.

"I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again until you've found me my illustrious and drop-dead gorgeous match," Zander bites out bitterly, avoiding my wide eyes as he hands me a glass of water.

"I'm still looking Mr. Nolan but I didn't come here for business reasons, well sort of but they're more personal I guess." I'm rambling and heat instantly begins to prick at my neck and face.

His eyes glitter for the first time, Zander's features finally softening, "Go on, I'm listening."

"Okay...um...what the hell is going on then? Ms. Zhao told me an extremely distorted version of what I'm assuming is the reason why you look like you've been run over by a steamroller."

Chuckling, he shakes his head before frowning, "I never really considered myself to look flat but thanks I guess? Well after that argument we had, I had some time to really think and I guess you were right. If I'm ever going to show you how serious I am, I should swallow some bitter medicine and do my own dirty work."

Groaning, my eyes shut briefly and I gulp down the remaining water swimming in my glass. "Why would you ever think that would be a solution to anything? What about your parents? What about your dad?"

"They're fine, thanks for asking."

"Zander be serious. You said all of this was hurting your reputation and your family. I may be a horrible person and averse to a lot of things but I wasn't going to deny you the help you need. I just needed some time to get my head on straight and focus on work that's been piling up."

Raising a hand, he cuts me off, "Are you approaching this as a matchmaker or as Catherine?"

"Both. I am both and want to help you as both. It was really hard hearing this from Ms. Zhao but look whatever you've done, we have got to fix but you need to tell me why you would ever publicly have a major argument with your fiancée?" I've posed the last line as a question, willing him to respond with an answer that holds some clarity. I've laid it on thick with the bare facts so it's Zander's turn now.

"Remember when you and Patrick were joking about marriage? And all those times you've conveniently brought up my engagement as some kind of shield? Well, I figured if that was going to keep happening, and if you weren't going to jump in and make an announcement then I should take action before this could drag on any longer and ended things in a dramatic but efficient way."

"Efficient? You call blackening your already burnt and stepped on reputation as efficient? And wait, all those moments were minor, why would you ever take that into consideration and blow it out of proportion?"

"Because I'm serious Cat."

"I'm serious too, Zander."

"Except the difference is that I'm serious about you and you're serious about everything beyond the two of us."

"That's not playing fair."

"Playing? I'm not playing at anything. I'm trying to showcase through my actions that everything I said two weeks ago means something to me."

"Zander, please. Don't let your emotions go into override. Everything that was said all those times was done in good humour and I'm sorry that its led to this but don't you think you've done more damage than made repairs?"

"Cat, if I don't let my emotions be in charge then I'm no different from anything you've accused me of. Doing anything otherwise makes me cold and calculating, and that's the image I've engrained into you and want to repeal."

"This is extreme!"

"No it's not. This was a problem for me and I approached it the only way I could without the aid of a matchmaker because all those times you've brought up the fiancée thing made me realize you've probably had that in the back of your mind this entire time or would never let me get close enough...not nearly as close as I'd like."

There's a heavy silence that weighs on both of us like a threatening dark cloud, both of us breathless, upset, and choked with a turbulence of emotions. 

I'd be lying to myself and Zander if I didn't admit that his claims have some truth to them since I did have his engagement lingering in the back of my mind like some unwanted shirt stuffed at the back of a closet, and one I refused to look at, afraid that the print was blaring and disgusting. 

What Zander has done, is taking that shirt and hanging it up for me to see in all its singularity and I have to set my eyes on it. 

Between my own plummeting sense of self confidence and Zander's formal engagement, there was no possible way that we could become what he wants us to be but he's gone ahead and eliminated one of those issues at the expense of his own reputability. 

"Okay, but what about your parents?" I finally asked, the silence becoming stifling.

"This will hurt, hurt them bad but I talked it out with dad's Secretary. It might be awhile before I can make a public appearance or even go to events with them but it's a small price to pay, everything considered."

My brows shoot up amazed that he can brush this off like it was as simple as snapping your fingers. "Small price? That seems like a lot, Zander. The media is forcibly and determinedly erasing you as a member of your family, and you're okay with that?"

"Being erased in a photo or newspaper won't kill me or break them, Cat. They'll be fine."

Harrumphing, the barstool screeches as I slide back and stand. Tapping my foot, I shake my head unconvinced, "this isn't right. None of it sounds real or...fair!"

"You've had your share of unfairness plenty of times, Cat. I don't think my situation is so bad."

"But this is..."

"Not as bad as getting nails thrown at me, I'm certain of that."

"Okay, but my problem had to do with bored teenagers who were cruel and heartless because they had nothing better to do than project their own insecurities into hurting someone weaker. This, this is the whole country rejecting you! Not some small high school classroom full of vindictive little monsters!"

I'm huffing at this point but Zander only smiles mildly, his eyes crinkling with mirth. "I think that's a pretty big deal Cat, compared to playing the role of national villain with a touch of the bad boy. They should have handed me a biker jacket at the very least."

"Can you just stop! Stop being so fickle about this!"

"I'm okay! What's done is done and there's nothing further to discuss."

I don't even realize that I've been grinding my teeth, seething with anger for him until he places a light hand on my shoulder. Sighing in defeated exhaustion, I finally gaze at him and give him one final shake of the head, not liking any of this. If I hadn't bursted out into tears and spitted out words two weeks ago, this might have all been prevented but I can't overstep when I did so already.

"Fine. Then I only have one more thing to ask."

"What's that?"

"Do you want a box of peaches?"