Chapter 36: Playing cupid...

Dark tower, Dark prince's main head quarter, LA:

Brenden walked inside, ordering authoritatively.

" Zack, I need the entire team to assemble in 3 minutes. " he said and walked inside his cabin.

Zack nodded and left.

....

After 3 minutes, the meeting hall:

" Boss. " the entire team nodded as the Dark prince entered and walked towards the dark long table's head chair.

He nodded back as a greeting and sat down, gesturing for the others to settle down too.

" We have a mission to follow Mr. Agues and find information about the Alpha. " he put forth.

" Ok so, are all of us are going to participate? " A brunette girl asked, she had merely a few years added to Brenden's, not more.

" Nope, Selene. Just a few, 5 of you guys, to be more specific. You can choose among yourselves. " he shrugged.

The team only consisted of 11 people, 18-23 years of age as members. They were all well-versed with technology and gadgets. Some of them were good at fights like, Zack who was a wing man to the dark prince, now.

" So, a 19 year boy along with a few more teenagers are gonna be competing with an entire experienced team's technology? " Rauf, a sand color haired guy, asked. He wore huge glasses and had an enormous laptop in front of him.

" I guess so, " Brenden answered, shrugging again.

" I'll go, " Zack said and looked at Brenden.

" I volunteer too." Selene raised her hand.

" I'll come along. " Rauf raised his hand, along with 4 others.

" Rauf, I need you to stay here. I might need some support from the base." Brenden said and eyed the others. " You- too young " he pointed at a 18 year, orange headed boy, " You have some power, so I need you here as well, with Rauf " he pointed at a blonde guy ( 19 years old ) "So, you two will do. " then he nodded at Zack to take care of the rest and went into his lab with Selene and Rauf.

" Ok, the ones decided, I need you to be here with your packed bags in 45 minutes. " Zack ordered and followed Brenden.

' Timing matters! '

....

3 months later:

The White family, Dining hall:

" So, have you decided where to have your birthday at last? " Skylar snapped as Spencer kept blabbering about all the birthdays he celebrated so far.

Mel looked bored and thanked Skylar internally as he helped stop Spencer's non-stop chatter, which she was forced to hear for past 3 weeks.

" Hey, it's already decided, we're going for a cruise this time and for 3 days! " he cheered and patted himself, proudly, ' All the planning me and my boys had done, to look at girls, I mean to have fun with friends! '

Mel rolled her eyes at him and Skylar snorted, wondering, ' How is it that all girls find this a*s good-looking and the only girl whom I followed left me without a word? ' he sulked * internally *

" Ok, get packed, the invitations have already been given out. We will leave by thursday night. The stay is until sunday night. " Jeff White informed.

" We better shop then, " Judith rubbed her hands together, excited turning towards Mel.

' Don't, no please don't, ' Mel looked down into her plate and started to eat something from her already completed dinner...

" Mel, will you go with me? " she asked expectantly, unaware of Mel's mind-words.

" Sure, why not? " she answered sighing almost inaudibly with a smile. ' All this time and she still cannot resist expectant eyes! '

Her subconscious was busy watching a scenario where Juliet was busy showing her all the girly outfits and skirts, in which she definitely wouldn't fit...

' I'm doomed, totally am! '

....

Seattle mall:

" Try this ", " This too ", " You would look gorgeous in this! ", " Look at that!!! "

" Oh darling, Mel, you've grown up! " Judith exclaimed dearly, as she covered Mel with layers and layers of skirts and dresses.

Mel could only follow behind her as she skipped from one store to another.

Mel followed ' * Crying out loud- internally! * I wish I could run away from this shopping beast! '

" Mel put them all down, let's go shop for a gown for you, to wear to the birthday ball! " Juliet said, as she put the entire lot, of clothes in Mel's hand, down on a chair and pulled Mel along.

" Ball? You mean like a dance? " Mel looked at her horrified with the new information. She didn't know to dance and with her two left feet dancing gracefully was out of question!

" Well, Skylar could teach and dance along with you if you don't know how, it's not much to worry about. " she comforted and pulled her to the next store.

Mel followed without a complaint. ' It's of no use to complain! '

As soon as they entered the store, her eyes lit-up at the sight of a gown and she looked away just as fast, as she noticed the number of zeroes on the price tag.

This didn't go unnoticed by Juliet, she was actually happy that Mel liked something.

" Go, try that, " she pointed at the gown and smiled looking at Mel's surprised face. " Go on, darling." she pushed Mel to try it out and went to look for a gown for herself.

' I'll be happy if Brenden just chooses to dance with her and with that gown, he would look ordinary in front of my girl. '

....

DT syn., main base, Seattle:

Brenden stood in-front of Amory, reporting his mission.

" Details about Alpha would reach you by 8 seconds and Mr. Agues has been dealt with. " he said and looked at her.

" Well done. Go get dressed and pack up. " she said checking the files that was sent to her.

He glared at her, " You said you'll let me go after this. " the he whined," I even stalked that dog for you!!! I even finished that guy, Ags...urgh...something, for you..."

" You just just want to see her, that girl- in short, isn't it ? " she smirked and looked at him teasingly. " Don't worry you'll get to see her soon enough. "

He rolled his eyes at her but his face contained a smile, " where are we going to? "

" Your brother's birthday cruise. "

....

Seattle mall:

" So, when is Brenden returning? " Judith asked Mel, as the waiter left with their orders.

She shrugged, " I don't know, but it must be soon." she sighed, seemingly lost.

Judith was persistent to know more today, " So, how did you two, meet in that Paris trip? "

Mel didn't think much and answered, " Well, I tripped and fell on him, in the resort. "

' Oh, that's news! ' Juliet giggled internally. " Then, what happened, you seemed quite close with each other from the start? "

" Nothing much, we just had the team-stuff, then we had shopped together and he helped me when I got lost. " she shrugged, ' There was nothing to hide, literally nothing. '

" Oh, all together or you alone? " Judith asked without giving Mel a chance to think or to get distracted from her questions.

" We were alone when I got lost. " she answered truthfully, ' Yeah, I got lost as we came away from the crowd and I ran away- for certain reasons ( even if they were stupid! ) '

" Why were you two alone, I guess in Disney land, right ? "

" Yeah, in Disney land. Because we were paired together? " she answered, unsure about it herself.

' Maybe, that was the reason! '

" Ok, so why were you two get paired together? " Judith giggled, ' That's so cute! '

" Because I was promised him something, I guess. " she thought back to that day...

" Why did you promise him? "

" Because I had a crush... cr*p, I didn't. I...never mind!!! " she blurted out and flushed red and ran into the store to get the order. " I'll go get it. "

Judith chuckled at Mel's cute expressions, she was really good at making people speak, well, say that Mel was fun to play with.

At last! She knew that those two had feelings for each other but she just needed some proof for her to start playing- cupid!!!

' I had always wanted to play cupid for my boys, but what about Scarlet? '

....

Spencer was busy inviting guests, he called everyone and when Scarlet was left he asked Skylar to invite her for him.

He knew that his brother loved that girl but she turned out to be Brenden's fiancé.

' Fate ! ', he couldn't agree more.

Skylar agreed instantly out of his 'good-will',

' Bullsh*t! ' But as long as he agreed everything would be fine.

Skylar dialed Scarlet, nervously.

' Hey, get a hold on yourself buddy, you're the Vermillion Dragon!!! '

" Hello, hi, um... hi... Scarlet. " he stuttered, ' There it goes! ' he groaned smacking his own head.

" Hi Skylar, what is it, " she spoke, " did you need something? "

" No, I was just, I just... " he sighed, ' this is getting out of your hands!

'

" Can we meet, Skylar? " she asked after a pause.

He was startled, " Sure. Wait, what? "

" Yeah, the park before the Seattle library. At 20 minutes from now, is that fine? " she asked.

" Sure, sure. I'll be there in 5. I mean 25 minutes. " he said that and she hung up.

' Sh*t why did I have to stutter so much and why the hell do I sounding so desperate??? ' he groaned and got up to get dressed.

He had a date! ( with his brother's fiancé ).

....

Outside Seattle library:

" Hello, did I make you wait for long? " Scarlet asked from behind Skylar who leaned on his motor-bike.

" Not much, let's go." he said, with much difficulty controlling his excitement.

" Thank you for coming. " she smiled as the walked inside the park.

He shook his head, " You don't need to thank me. I'll do anything for you, now or ever."

" I just needed someone to listen to me blabber and I couldn't think of anyone else. " she explained. " Will you be that person for me? "

He smiled and held her hand,

nodding.

" I'll be anything, if it's for you. "