Chapter 1: Crimson Dreams
Angel stared into the mirror, the fluorescent lights of her cramped office buzzing faintly overhead. The tube of "Scarlet Sin" lipstick felt cool in her hand, its metallic casing catching the harsh light. She twisted the base, the waxy bullet of crimson peeking out like a secret waiting to be told. Her lips were already painted, but she needed more—more color, more boldness, more of whatever this restless feeling was clawing at her insides. Today, it wasn’t just lipstick; it was armor.
She leaned closer to the mirror, her breath fogging the glass as she traced the outline of her lips. The liner strayed just outside the natural edge, but she didn’t care. A little extra never hurt anyone, especially when the goal was to be unforgettable. The sharp scent of the waxy pencil filled her nose, mixing with the faint tang of her coffee breath. She blotted her lips with a tissue, leaving behind a perfect red stain, and smiled faintly. "There," she whispered to herself. "Now you’re ready."
Her thoughts drifted to Mattias, the quiet math prodigy who’d somehow won a free lunch for two at Le Fleur. She’d overheard him talking about it in the hallway, his voice soft and hesitant, and then he’d turned to her. "Would you like to join me?" he’d asked, his cheeks flushing like he’d just confessed a crime. She’d said yes before she could stop herself. Now, sitting here in her office, she wondered if it was a mistake. Mattias was sweet, sure, but sweet wasn’t exactly her type. Still, the way he’d looked at her—like she was a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve—made her stomach flutter.
She reached for her perfume, the bottle of "Midnight Bloom" sitting beside her coffee-stained mug. One spritz, two, three—the air around her thickened with the cloying sweetness of jasmine and vanilla. It was probably too much, but she didn’t care. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it full throttle. She glanced around her office, the white coffee cups littering her desk like tiny tombstones, each one bearing the ghost of her lipstick. "Subtlety, Angel," she muttered to herself, shaking her head. "You’ve never been good at it."
Smoothing down her skirt—a little too short, a little too tight—she grabbed her purse and checked the contents: wallet, keys, phone, and, of course, her lipstick. "Scarlet Sin" was safely tucked inside, ready for touch-ups. She glanced at the clock on the wall; ten minutes to noon. Her heart thudded in her chest, a mix of excitement and dread. Was she overthinking this? Probably. But Mattias wasn’t like the others. He was… different. And different was dangerous.
Her phone buzzed on the desk, the screen lighting up with a text from Mattias: I’m outside. Nervous. She smirked, a genuine smile breaking through her carefully constructed facade. "Don’t be," she typed back, her red nails tapping against the screen. "I’m always worth the wait." She hit send, slung her purse over her shoulder, and walked out of her office, the click of her heels echoing down the empty hallway.
As she stepped into the sunlight, she caught her reflection in the glass door. The woman staring back at her was bold, confident, and maybe just a little bit desperate. For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if she’d gone too far. But then she squared her shoulders, adjusted her purse, and walked toward Mattias, her red lips leading the way. Whatever this was—lunch, a date, a mistake—she was ready. Or at least, she hoped she was.
The heavy doors of the university groaned as she pushed them open, the midday sun hitting her like a spotlight. Mattias was there, just outside, pacing back and forth with his phone clutched in both hands like it might float away if he let go. His shoulders were hunched, his posture screaming awkwardness louder than any words could. "Of course," she thought, biting back a laugh. "He’s even more of a mess in person."
His shirt was crisp—clearly ironed with care—but it hung off him like he’d borrowed it from someone taller. His hair, neatly combed just moments ago, was already starting to rebel, a few strands falling across his forehead like they couldn’t be bothered to stay put. He looked like he’d stepped out of a catalog for nerdy-chic, if such a thing existed. Angel couldn’t decide if it was adorable or just plain tragic.
When he spotted her, his eyes widened behind his glasses, and he froze mid-step, his mouth falling open slightly. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing like he was trying to choke down his nerves. "Hi," he managed to croak, his voice barely audible over the distant hum of the campus.
Angel slowed her pace, letting her heels click against the pavement with deliberate slowness. She tilted her head, offering him a small, practiced smile—the kind that said she was in control, even if she wasn’t entirely sure she was. "Hi, Mattias," she said, her voice smooth and low, like she was savoring the moment. "You’re not bailing on me, are you?"
He shook his head vigorously, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "N-No, of course not," he stammered, his voice cracking on the last word. "I just… uh… wasn’t sure if you’d show up."
She stopped in front of him, close enough that he could smell her perfume—a heady mix of jasmine and vanilla that clung to her like a second skin. Close enough that she could see the faint dusting of freckles across his nose and the way his eyes darted from her face to her lips and back again. "Why wouldn’t I?" she asked, her tone light but teasing. "You’re the one who invited me, remember?"
The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, as if the air itself was holding its breath. Angel resisted the urge to giggle—this was almost too easy. Mattias looked like he’d forgotten how to breathe, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven bursts. She could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he struggled to find something—anything—to say.
Finally, he cleared his throat, his hands still clutching the hem of his shirt like it was his only lifeline. "So, uh…" he began, his voice shaky but determined. "Do you, uh… do you like math?"
Angel raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smirk. "Math?" she repeated, her tone playful. "Is that your idea of small talk, Mattias?"
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes like they were the most fascinating things he’d ever seen. "I just thought… you know… since we’re at a university and all…" he mumbled, trailing off into silence.
She took a step closer, her heels clicking against the pavement like a countdown. "Cat got your tongue, Mattias?" she asked, her voice a low purr that sent a shiver down his spine. "Or are you just nervous?"
He blinked, startled, and then finally managed to stammer out a greeting. "A-Angel," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "I… uh… I’m really glad you came."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently adjust his collar where it had started to fold. "So am I," she said softly, her fingers brushing against his neck for just a moment. "Now, are we going to lunch, or are you going to keep standing here like a lost puppy?"
He shuffled his feet, his hands finally letting go of his shirt to fumble with the strap of his messenger bag. "Right, yeah," he said, his voice still shaky but with a hint of determination. "Lunch. Let’s go."
As they started walking, Angel couldn’t help but notice the way he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, like he was afraid she might disappear if he looked away for too long. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as quiet as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… charming."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something about yourself that I don’t know."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I play the piano," he said finally, his voice still shaky but with a hint of pride.
She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smile. "Really? That’s unexpected."
He nodded, his cheeks still flushed. "Yeah, I’ve been playing since I was a kid," he said, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "It’s kind of my escape, you know? When things get… too much."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "I get that," she said softly. "Everyone needs an escape."
They walked in silence for a moment, the tension between them slowly easing. Angel couldn’t help but notice the way his shoulders had relaxed, the way his steps had become more confident. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as awkward as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… interesting."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something else about yourself."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I’m really into astronomy," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I love looking at the stars, you know? It’s like… there’s this whole universe out there, and we’re just a tiny part of it."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "That’s beautiful," she said softly. "I think I’d like to see the stars with you sometime."
He looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise and something else—something that made her heart skip a beat. "Really?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, her red lips curving into a smile. "Really," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, let’s get to that lunch before I starve."
As they walked, Angel couldn’t help but notice the way he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, like he was afraid she might disappear if he looked away for too long. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as quiet as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… charming."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something about yourself that I don’t know."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I play the piano," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I’ve been playing since I was a kid."
She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smile. "Really? That’s unexpected."
He nodded, his cheeks still flushed. "Yeah, it’s kind of my escape," he said, his voice soft but steady. "When things get… too much."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "I get that," she said softly. "Everyone needs an escape."
They walked in silence for a moment, the tension between them slowly easing. Angel couldn’t help but notice the way his shoulders had relaxed, the way his steps had become more confident. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as awkward as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… interesting."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something else about yourself."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I’m really into astronomy," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I love looking at the stars, you know? It’s like… there’s this whole universe out there, and we’re just a tiny part of it."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "That’s beautiful," she said softly. "I think I’d like to see the stars with you sometime."
He looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise and something else—something that made her heart skip a beat. "Really?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, her red lips curving into a smile. "Really," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, let’s get to that lunch before I starve."
As they walked, Angel couldn’t help but notice the way he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, like he was afraid she might disappear if he looked away for too long. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as quiet as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… charming."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something about yourself that I don’t know."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I play the piano," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I’ve been playing since I was a kid."
She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smile. "Really? That’s unexpected."
He nodded, his cheeks still flushed. "Yeah, it’s kind of my escape," he said, his voice soft but steady. "When things get… too much."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "I get that," she said softly. "Everyone needs an escape."
They walked in silence for a moment, the tension between them slowly easing. Angel couldn’t help but notice the way his shoulders had relaxed, the way his steps had become more confident. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as awkward as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… interesting."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something else about yourself."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I’m really into astronomy," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I love looking at the stars, you know? It’s like… there’s this whole universe out there, and we’re just a tiny part of it."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "That’s beautiful," she said softly. "I think I’d like to see the stars with you sometime."
He looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise and something else—something that made her heart skip a beat. "Really?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
She nodded, her red lips curving into a smile. "Really," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, let’s get to that lunch before I starve."
As they walked, Angel couldn’t help but notice the way he kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, like he was afraid she might disappear if he looked away for too long. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as quiet as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… charming."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something about yourself that I don’t know."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I play the piano," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I’ve been playing since I was a kid."
She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smile. "Really? That’s unexpected."
He nodded, his cheeks still flushed. "Yeah, it’s kind of my escape," he said, his voice soft but steady. "When things get… too much."
She smiled, a genuine one this time, and reached out to gently squeeze his arm. "I get that," she said softly. "Everyone needs an escape."
They walked in silence for a moment, the tension between them slowly easing. Angel couldn’t help but notice the way his shoulders had relaxed, the way his steps had become more confident. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her red lips curving into a smirk. "You know," she said casually, "you’re not as awkward as I thought you’d be."
He looked at her, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I’m not?"
She shook her head, her heels clicking against the pavement as they walked. "Nope," she said, her tone teasing. "You’re actually kind of… interesting."
His face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he looked down at his shoes again. "I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that before," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
She laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made his heart skip a beat. "Well, there’s a first time for everything," she said, her voice warm and inviting. "Now, tell me something else about yourself."
He hesitated for a moment, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his bag again. "I… uh… I’m really into astronomy," he said finally, his voice gaining a bit of confidence. "I love looking at the stars, you know? I