PROLOGUE

Dear Quinn,

On behalf of the agency, I want to officially invite you over to our Boulder branch.

We are an agency that believes in fate and meaningful encounters.

The line between the two — invincible.

Due to security reasons, we cannot disclose why we need your urgent attention. 

But best you know, that there is no one for this but you.

We hope to see you at the soonest.

Best regards,

Fated Encounters Team.

[••][•••][•••][•••][•••][•••][•••][•••][•••][•••][••]

            ——————————

I continuously tapped my fingers at the back of my phone, my lips twitching.

“What's wrong?”. Rachel asked, her eyes boring into mine.

I opened my mouth to speak but thought against it. The email was obviously meaningless.

I gently kept my phone on the table before me and sighed.

Stupid emails.

“Spam”. I muttered under my breath obviously annoyed. “Nothing I can't handle”. I said after an exhale.

“I know how that feels”. Rachel agreed. “Super annoying”.

“Anyway, where's Kayla?”.

“Should be here anytime soon…Good! Here she comes”. Rachel said almost immediately Kayla stepped into the café. She was on her phone as usual.

“What's up?”. She asked sliding into the seat next to mine, without still looking up from her phone.

“Hey girl, hey”. Rachel said rolling her eyes. “Get off your phone Kay”.

“Oh, yeah! Sure”. She said placing her phone down turned on the table. “What did I miss?”. She asked looking between Rachel and I.

“Oh, I don't know”. I breathed out. “Maybe that hot stuff over there?”. I jerked my chin to a side corner of the café.

I saw her eyes light up as she turned towards the direction. He waved her and she gave an awkward smile.

She hurriedly turned back to glare at me.

“What the?”.

“Guy was practicing staring since you walked in”. I said in my defence. “Plus…I thought you two would make a good pair”. I winked.

She looked a little bit over her shoulder and back at me.

“He's coming over”. She whispered. “Act normal”.

I rolled my eyes. She was the one acting completely not normal. A smile played at the corner of my lips when I saw how she acted uncharacteristically unaware of his presence behind her.

Kayla took a sip of her iced americano and scrolled through her phone. I was so sure she was doing nothing but keeping herself occupied so she'd look unhinged.

“Umm, excuse me ladies”. The guy said behind her and there was a small smile lurking on her lips.

She placed her drink down, wiped the smile off her lips before slowly turning to him.

“Yes?”. She asked with a raise of one of her brows and my shoulders shook from trying so hard to hold in laughter.

“Can… we help you?”. Rachel asked.

“Yeah…”. He started and rubbed the back of his neck. “I think your friend's pretty and I really wanna get to know her”.

“Who?”. Rachel asked again and I met his eyes. I gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.

Go on…

“I saw her walk in a while ago with her phone in her hand and I couldn't get my eyes off her”. He said and slowly stepped beside Kayla. “I honestly want to get to know you so…may I take you out to lunch?”

Kayla's head jolted towards him instantly and I saw her swallow.

He's doing a good job.

Nice guys make Kay fold like crazy.

I chuckled to myself and tapped on my phone screen.

“Oh no! Look at the time, I have to get to the public library”. I said giving Rachel a knowing look.

“I'll come too”. Rachel stood from her seat. “I'm a sucker for books”

Book boyfriends she means …

Kayla glared at both of us and pressed her lips in a thin line as she subtly shook her head, mouthing “don't leave me”.

We were gonna do just that — leave her with the charmer.

“Bye Kay”. I said after grabbing all my stuff from the table. I walked briskly to the door with Rachel following closely behind.

                ————————

The Library was a short walk from

‘Tulip's Café’. As both Rachel and I approached it, I couldn't help but smile to myself.

“Proud you made yet another match, huh?”. Rachel asked as we made it the the front door of the library.

She knew me too well.

“Uh-huh”. I nodded. “I'd help my friends in any way I can”.

Kayla needs someone to help her get off her phone

“So what are we doing in the library?”

“Shhh…” I placed a finger on my lips as we made it to a table.

“I have to work”. I responded in a whisper and booted my laptop.

Rachel nodded as I took a sit.

“I'll go get a book”. She whispered.

I gave a subtle nod and she walked away. I sighed as I started typing into my laptop.

         …In a world where love is just but a word. 

         Love can be used however and whenever…

I paused for a while and stared out the window sighting a couple displaying public affection. I turned towards the shelf Rachel had walked to and I saw that the librarian was entertaining her.

She seemed to be giggling quietly at something he said as he tried to help her pick a book.

He turned to look at me and I gave him a subtle smile and nod.

Matched two friends in a day.

Impressive!

I turned back to my laptop and continued.

          …but it is different for me.

   For me, to find someone is to love that person 

          To have a connection is to be each other’s person….

My mind went back to the email I was sent earlier ’... believe in fate and meaningful encounters’...

     …Soulmate or significant other…

      We all want the love we give to be given back with the same amount of intensity…

      …It is what I call ‘Love at the peak or at the tip of the iceberg’.  

       The flame of love ignited with so much intensity…

                                  #LoveRite#

I clicked post and laid back in my chair. I have been posting little verses like that for over a month now at ‘The writer's blog’ an anonymous blog for anyone who adored writing and wanted publicity.

I specialised in the Love/Relationship niche and was already gathering a fan base. I was so excited. Creative writings about love was something almost everyone would relate to.

Handing out relationship advices and matching people…

I found myself feeling no less than a Cupid. 

Except I wasn't a winged baby with blonde hair as well as a bow and arrow.

I sat upright and clicked my ‘Writer’s blog’ profile to change my name.

Formerly QEl.

Now…

                    …‘

Qiupid’...

Immediately I clicked save, a notification spread across the screen of my laptop and my eyes widened.

Qiupid ‘the matchmaker’