Love Quest (Part One)

"What the fuck?" Matthew muttered under his breath, spinning around in confusion.

But no one was there.

Before he could process the eerie silence, a stick came hurtling toward him out of nowhere. Without thinking, Matthew leaped backward, narrowly avoiding it. His heart raced as he snapped his head up to locate the source of the attack.

Perched in a tree above him, Sofia lounged with an amused grin on her face. Her fiery red hair cascaded in beautifully curled waves tied into a ponytail, and her green eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh, you dodged," she said, her tone laced with playful surprise.

Matthew blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. "What the hell is wrong with this world?" he thought.

"Hi!" Matthew shouted, his voice cracking slightly. He winced, realizing how awkward he sounded. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

Sofia tilted her head, her grin widening. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? You're the one talking to yourself in the middle of the woods."

Matthew scratched the back of his neck, his mind racing for an excuse. "Oh, uh… just… chopping wood for winter," he blurted, cringing at how unconvincing it sounded.

Sofia raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Winter? It's not even summer yet."

"Well, uh… you can never be too prepared, right?" he replied with a nervous chuckle, glancing at the glowing triangle that had now shifted to a deep red.

[Congratulations! You've just failed at sounding normal.] 

"Fuck you," Matthew muttered under his breath, clenching his fists.

The glowing triangle flickered and displayed a new message:

[Language! Watch your tone, loser.]

Matthew rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "Can you just—" He cut himself off, realizing Sofia was still perched in the tree, watching him with an amused expression.

"Talking to yourself again?" she teased, swinging her legs playfully. "You really are full of surprises today, Elliott."

Matthew forced a grin, ignoring the triangle. "You know me—always keeping people on their toes."

Sofia smirked, leaning forward slightly. "So, what's got you out here, really? Because chopping wood for winter doesn't seem like your style."

Matthew hesitated, glancing at the triangle, which now read:

[Objective: Charm her, idiot. Time is ticking.]

"Well, to be honest, I didn't want to hear Ellen's lecture. There," Matthew replied, still shouting up at Sofia.

She laughed, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her green eyes. "Oh yeah, you slept with… Maggie? Margret? Was it Marie?"

Matthew scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Marie," he confirmed, his voice quieter now. "Not that it's something I'm exactly proud of…"

[Stop lying, loser. You were very proud a few hours ago.]

Matthew gritted his teeth, glaring momentarily at the floating pink triangle. Sofia raised an eyebrow. "You're acting weird, Elliott," she said, hopping down from the tree with ease. "Weirder than usual, anyway."

"Yeah, well… rough day," Matthew muttered.

Sofia smirked and crossed her arms. "So, what's the plan now? Or are you just hiding out in the woods like a scared little boy?"

[Don't blow this. Use the charm she thinks you have.]

Despite her playful demeanor, Sofia's crossed arms and the subtle pout on her lips suggested she was upset. Even someone as oblivious as Matthew could pick up on it.

"Don't tell me you're jealous," Matthew teased, letting out a nervous laugh.

Sofia's eyes narrowed, and her cheeks flushed faintly. "Jealous? Of what?" she shot back, her voice sharp. "You making a fool of yourself again?"

Matthew grinned, trying to channel the confidence Elliott was known for. "Oh, come on, Sofia. Don't tell me you're mad because you wish it was you in that bed instead of Marie."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "You're unbelievable!" she hissed, her green eyes blazing.

[Careful, idiot. One wrong move, and you'll end up in that tree instead of under it.]

Matthew gulped, quickly holding his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm joking! Relax!"

Sofia huffed, her glare softening ever so slightly. "You're lucky I don't hit you with another stick," she muttered, though the corners of her lips twitched as if she were trying not to smile. "Now come help me get down."

Matthew let out a breath of relief, realizing he'd barely dodged another verbal lashing. "Alright, alright, I'll help you down. Just don't throw anything else at me, deal?"

Sofia rolled her eyes but extended her hand toward him. "Deal. But you better not drop me, Elliott."

Matthew stepped closer, glancing up at her perched on the tree branch. "Why were you even up there in the first place?"

"Trying to get some peace and quiet," Sofia replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. "But of course, you had to show up and ruin it."

Matthew smirked, grabbing hold of her hand. "You can't blame me for your terrible hiding spot."

With one swift tug, Sofia slipped off the branch, landing ungracefully in Matthew's arms. For a moment, they both froze, their faces mere inches apart.

[Perfect opportunity, Romeo. Don't blow it.]

Sofia blinked, her cheeks tinged with pink. "You can put me down now, Elliott."

Matthew quickly set her on her feet, clearing his throat. "Right. There you go."

Sofia brushed herself off, avoiding his gaze. "Next time, just let me fall. It'd probably hurt less than listening to your jokes."

Matthew chuckled. "Admit it, you'd miss me if I wasn't around."

Sofia glanced at him, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Don't push your luck."

After a long moment, Sofia finally speaks. "I can't help but wonder— why does every woman jump into your arms? I mean first it was Gilda, then Audrie, and now Marie. How?!"

Matthew raised an eyebrow, leaning casually against the tree. "What can I say? Must be my irresistible charm," he said with a smirk, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt.

Sofia scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, please. It's probably pity."

He feigned a look of mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. "Pity? Ouch, Sofia. That one cut deep."

"Good," she shot back, though the teasing lilt in her voice betrayed her amusement.

After a moment, her playful smirk faded slightly, and she glanced at him more seriously. "But really, Elliott. What is it about you?"

Matthew hesitated, her sudden sincerity catching him off guard. He forced a chuckle to break the tension. "I guess women just can't resist a guy who knows how to dodge a stick."

Sofia rolled her eyes, but a small laugh escaped her lips. "You're impossible."

"And yet, here you are, talking to me," he quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Yeah, I must be out of my mind," she muttered, shaking her head, though her smile lingered a little longer this time. "But curiosity is getting the best of me," she added, stepping forward and closing the gap between them.

Matthew found himself staring into her eyes, feeling a strange sense of confidence that didn't belong to him. For once, he didn't stutter or feel awkward. In this moment, he truly felt like he was Elliott.

"Wanna see, freckles?" Matthew asked, brushing her hair gently aside, revealing her face in perfect detail.

"Oh my fucking god," Matthew thought, yet he wasn't entirely sure the words were his own. It was as if something—or someone—else had taken over. The phrase, the movement, even the tone—it wasn't him. It was Elliott.

Only now did Matthew remember: Elliott used to call Sofia freckles.