Carcel Evander Dawson

The loud screams of girls made me want to bury myself alive. I should've stayed hidden in the garden, sleeping peacefully, instead of swiping through these damn girls. This madness is all because of one person..

Kalila Miracle Hart.

How did I even learn her full name? Well, she insisted on it before we start this ridiculous crowd work. For her, 'getting to know each other' meant only knowing full names, nothing more. She went back to her preparations, running around the booth with that ponytail swinging in her head, while I just sat here, watching.

She was talking to some girl, checking her phone, listing names. She seemed to relax a bit now, just a moment ago she was trembling in fear. I hadn't expected it, but she managed to push me back into my chair with more force than I thought she had. I don't think if she's brave or she's just reckless.

If I had just stayed quiet in the garden, none of this would be happen. But something in her voice pulled me out of hiding. I wasn't expecting to see a tiny, black-haired, brown-eyed girl with freckles, desperate enough to clasp her hands together in front of me. When I realized it was Kalila, I almost laughed, but she was dead serious.

For the first time, someone spoke to me like I was just another guy—like I was simply Carcel, not the son of the richest man in the state. She didn't recognize who I was, and that intrigued me. And when she told me she sent those texts, it all made sense. But before I could dig deeper, she ran off like a scared little bunny. It's true I don't like being cut off mid-sentence I feel like I was rejected somehow, but honestly apart of me just want to talk to her again.

And that's why I'm here—a pretty shallow reason, but hell, I'm doing it. I wanted to know more, to feel that normalcy with her again. Kalila didn't even try to gain my attention, which is insane to me, but somehow, it worked. She's got it, and while I'm still interested, she better be worth it.

"All set," she announced, turning to face me, hands on her hips like she's the boss. "Come on now, Carcel, sit here," she pointed to the chair right next to her. With a sigh, I moved over, not thrilled but going along.

I stared at the first girl—bright pink jacket, braces, the whole high school vibe—and without hesitation, swiped left. The disappointment was clear as day on her face, and she moved forward to shake my hand.

I glanced at her hand like it was something foreign before reluctantly shaking it. Kalila elbowed me in the side, whispering sharply, "Go on, shake her hand." I rolled my eyes but did as told.

The second girl came up, decked out in luxury brands from head to toe, practically screaming, 'Look at me, I'm fucking rich.'  I swiped left with a scowl, shaking her hand out of obligation.

"What? She's a catch," Kalila commented on the side, clearly amused.

"She looks like a hooker," I said casually, not caring who heard. Kalila let out a short laugh.

"Yeah, and you're no better," she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for me to catch.

"What?!" I glared at her.

"I said you look so much better," she quickly corrected, trying to cover up what she'd said before.

I narrowed my eyes at her, catching the slip, but letting it go. The swiping continued, and one after another. I didn't swipe right, not even once, and I wasn't planning to. It would take a miracle for any of these girls to give a damn about their bright smiles and weird faces.

As I kept swiping, I spotted Crue and Ace heading toward the booth with two girls trailing behind them. Both of them looked at me like I'd lost my mind, then burst out laughing.

"Kalila!" one of the girls in glasses called out. Kalila glanced up and waved at her, completely unfazed.

"Oh, you found him? and you bought a plus one?" she asked, grinning. I couldn't help but laugh—did she seriously send her friends to track down my friends? She's crazier than I thought.

"I don't think we'll need them, though," she added, and Crue's face dropped like a kid who just got told Christmas was canceled.

"What's going on here?" Ace asked, sliding into the seat next to me while Crue stood nearby, arms crossed like some disapproving parent.

"Just swiping," I said, casually flicking left on the next girl. They both laughed, getting a kick out of my situation.

"Who the hell made you do this stupid shit?" Crue asked, eyeing me like I'd lost my mind. I didn't even have to answer; I just glared at Kalila, who was busy pretending she wasn't enjoying this as much as she clearly was.

"Hey, you brought this crowd with you!" she shot back, putting the blame squarely on me. "You should be responsible!"

"She's right, man," Ace chimed in, clearly eager to take my place. "Let me have a go," he said, looking at Kalila with a grin.

"No," she replied bluntly, not even bothering to sugarcoat it.

"Is this somewhat a request of connect Kalila?" the girl in a dress asked.

"Uh-huh," Kalila nodded, completely owning it. "I couldn't think of anything better."

"Clearly," I muttered, rolling my eyes at her. The whole situation was ridiculous. But then, the last girl stepped up, and it was none other than Ciel Montclair. 

I let out a small laugh, realizing how things were taking a turn. Crue and Ace exchanged glances, clearly in on something, and then both looked back at Ciel. Even Kalila seemed taken aback, her eyes shifting between me and Ciel, waiting to see what I would do next.

I smirked, savoring the moment before slowly swiping left. Ace sucked in a breath, and I noticed Kalila's friend whispering something to him, probably trying to figure out what just happened. 

Ace whispered back, his eyes wide with curiosity. Kalila, on the other hand, looked almost disappointed, her excitement dimming as she quietly moved beside Crue. She whispered something to him, and without another word, they both headed out of the booth.

Curiosity spiked, and I nearly got up to follow them when Ciel suddenly moved toward the table and slammed her hands down, the impact making me pause. Her eyes were blazing, her anger palpable.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I leaned back in my chair, entirely unfazed. "What now?" I asked, my voice dripping with indifference.

"What are you doing?" Ciel demanded, trying to regain her composure, though I could see the fury in her eyes, making me want to play her feelings even more.

"Swiping," I replied coolly, not even bothering to look up at her. "And I believe I swiped left on you." I held out my hand, my fingers lazily flicking up and down at the knuckles. "Go away now."

Her face flushed with anger, but she tried to maintain control. "Stop it, Carcel," she snapped, her voice low and stern. "You're making a fool of yourself."

I raised an eyebrow, amused. "Am I?" I taunted, watching her struggle to keep her calm. "Why are you so angry, Ciel?" I asked, leaning in slightly, my smirk widening as I saw the crack in her facade. 

She didn't respond, and I knew I had her on the ropes. "Everyone knows we're engaged, yet somehow, people still seem to be interested in me. how in the world do you think that happen?"

She stiffened, her silence giving me all the confirmation I needed. "Ah," I said, pretending like I'd just had a revelation. "Maybe it's because they know that the ring on your finger means nothing to me."

I watched the words hit her, the way her expression faltered just for a second. I could see the hurt flashing in her eyes, but she quickly masked it, refusing to show any ounce of pain.

Ciel Montclair never cried in front of me—her pride was too strong, her desire to maintain control was too great. She wanted this marriage more than I ever did, and the realization that it meant so little to me was crushing her.

But I wasn't in the mood to play nice. Not today. "You should go, Ciel," I said, my voice a mix of finality and boredom, leaning back in my chair as if dismissing her was the easiest thing in the world. "We're done here."

She turned on her heel, fists clenched so tight her knuckles went white, and stormed off without another word. "That wasn't nice, Carcel," Ace muttered, a disapproving look etched on his face.

I shrugged, leaning back in my chair with a smirk. "Since when did I ever claim to be nice, Ace?" I shot back, my eyes already drifting towards Crue and Kalila in the distance. She was laughing at something he said, she knew how to smile like that? the more I kept my eyes on her the more annoyed I get.

"You could've gone a little easier on her," Ace insisted, his tone edging on reprimand.

I shot him a sideways glance. "Yeah, I could've. But I don't want to." I said it flatly, no room for debate.

If I gave Ciel even the smallest glimpse of hope, she'd latch onto it like a lifeline. And that would only make things messier in the end. 

It's better to be the bad guy than to act like a good one. 

Ignoring Ace's judgmental stare, I turned my attention to Kalila's friends in the back, both of them engrossed in picking up decorations for the booth. "Hey, you two!" I called out. They looked up, surprise flashing across their faces. "What're your names?"

They exchanged quick glances before answering. "Sumer," the girl with dirty blonde hair said. She had blue eyes and a nose piercing, standing a bit taller than Kalila.

"Akira," the girl with glasses replied, the tallest of the group.

I nodded, assessing them for a moment. "You planning to keep this booth up until Foundation Week is over?" They both nodded, a bit hesitant.

"Don't count on it," I said, my tone sharp enough to cut through the air. Now that I've pushed Ciel's buttons, she's not gonna let this slide. Someone might come along and decide you don't get to finish the week with this setup.

Akira's eyes narrowed, a hint of defiance flashing across her face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, someone might not let you keep this booth up," I said, crossing my arms as Ace sat silently beside me, still confused by the turn in the conversation.

"Why?" Sumer asked, her voice tinged with both curiosity and concern.

"Tell Kalila to come see me if that happens," I smirked, already knowing the trouble that might be headed their way. Without waiting for their response, I turned and walked away, Ace trailing behind me like a shadow.

I caught the last of Kalila's laughter as I walked toward her and Crue, but before I could say anything, Galini showed up, her expression darkening as she took in the scene.

"What the fuck are these guys doing here?" she snapped, her voice cutting through the noise like a blade. Akira and Sumer, hearing her, rushed over like soldiers reporting for duty.

"Carcel made a mess," Crue said, crossing his arms and giving me a look like I was the biggest jerk on the planet. I knew I was, but he didn't need to look at me like that.

"A whole crowd just went wild here," Sumer added, her tone more excited than worried.

"Can you do me next? I want to experience swiping too," Ace chimed in, eager as ever, looking at Galini like she was his new best friend.

"Hold up," Galini said, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden chaos. She turned to Kalila, her tone sharp. "You told me everything was fine here."

And that was my cue to get out of here. I wasn't about to stick around for whatever drama was about to unfold.

I walked past Crue, giving him a nudge. "Let's go." I didn't bother looking back as I strode away. Crue stayed behind for a moment, saying his goodbyes before catching up to me. Ace did the same, trailing a bit behind.

As Crue finally fell in step beside me, I asked, "How did they find you?" I was genuinely curious.

He chuckled, recalling the scene. "We were in the locker room, half-naked with the other players, when Akira barged in with Sumer right behind her, using her as a shield."

I let out a laugh. No wonder Kalila seemed a bit unhinged at times—she was surrounded by these kinds of people.

"She announced she was looking for a guy named either True or Crue." Crue laughed at the memory, and I joined in, the absurdity of it all hitting me. "She even checked my moles to make sure it was really me."

"They are wild people," Ace added, pulling out his phone. "I'm registering for their app. Galini said it's up and running now."

"Why are you registering?" I asked.

"Because I want to do what you did back there—swiping." He was practically buzzing with excitement. "If I had known this was happening, I would've signed up sooner."

"What're you uploading?" I asked again.

"My face," he said, striking a pose for effect. I rolled my eyes, unimpressed.

"Anyway, what you did back there was pretty hilarious," Crue said, a smirk tugging at his lips.

I couldn't argue with that. It was crazy, but the fact that Kalila managed to get me to do it? Was even a miracle to me.

"I thought you were going to talk to her," Crue prodded, referring to Kalila.

"Who said that?"

"Kalila," he replied, short and to the point.

"I'm exhausted. I'll talk to her again when I feel like it," I said, the irritation in my voice obvious. Honestly, Ciel had ruined my mood. I had been enjoying Kalila's ridiculous little game, especially with her commentary on the side, but then Ciel had to show up and spoil everything.

I was genuinely having fun for the first time in who knows how long, and Ciel came in like a dark cloud, raining on my parade, as she always did. She never let me forget that I'm bound to her, tied to the curse my family has handed down to me.

"You know," Crue began, drawing my attention back to him, "I can see why you're interested in her. Kalila has pure intentions. She's warm and welcoming, makes you feel lighter."

He was right. Kalila had a way of making people feel comfortable, making them want to open up to her. That's probably why she drew so much attention without even realizing.

But there was more to her than that. Despite whatever fear she might have had toward me, she didn't let it control her. She knew what rich people like me could do, but that didn't stop her. 

She wouldn't just stand there and take it if you treated her like shit—she'd push back, even if her hands were trembling. That's what drew me to her, the value she placed on herself, the strength she had beneath that tiny, freckled exterior and the love she had with her life. It's refreshing to see a different kind of person.

So, I pulled out my phone and begun texting her 

I'm not running away bunny, See you next time.
Sent 3:33PM