The Faustian Love Bargain (COMPLETED)

Chapter 14

Stella was senselessly in love. It was as if it had suddenly struck her the night before and had spread its disease throughout her body, flowing through her blood with speed and heat. She was in high spirits. How strange it was to be in love! How strange it was that she wanted to see him and be embraced by him again! Only true love could explain that, she thought to herself in delight. She pictured his lovely smile and she smiled back to herself in foolish glee. "He loves me, he loves me not," she giggled to herself like a silly puppy. She believed that he must love her so- his glances, his concern and his smile all pointed to that conclusion. "Even if he does not love me, he must like me! How wondrous it feels to be loved by such a magnificient man! Ah, I tremor when I am embraced by his superior touch. Did I charm him last night? Perhaps so! I could tell from his eyes- those beautiful burning eyes. I must love him too! His every touch sends heat waves through every nerve of my body. His every glance makes me fall into extreme ebullition. I wonder what he sees in me." She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a young blushing girl with long hair and large eyes staring at her. Her pale face was blooming with joy today and her eyes had lit up with the fire of passion. "I am not beautiful like Kaela or Celine," she thought to herself, "Yet, he smiles when he sees me."

Micheal was waiting at the bus stop. She did not like him much but her cup was so full of joy that seeing him did not dampen her spirits. 

“Good morning,” he said cheerfully upon seeing her smile so widely, “Did you think about what I recounted to you yesterday?”

“I was doing my homework. You can show me the book after school today,” she tried to make up for her lack of interest in his story and feeling that she might have dismayed him, she added, “And you can tell me how I can help you.”

“Thanks, I really appreciate it,” he said when her phone buzzed. 

It was a message from Nick Smith! She was thrilled! Opening up the message, it read, “Morning, I hope you have a safe trip to school. There is a party tonight, would you like to come along? It’ll be fun(:”

She replied, “Ok! Where is it?”

Somewhere in Kaser. Don’t worry too much about the location, I’ll pick you up after school to do some more research and then we’ll go there together.

Micheal realised that she was texting Nick. “What does Nick Smith want from you?” he asked, his face frigid.

Stella looked up from her phone. She thought for a while and thought it was only fair she told him some of her secrets as well. 

“I don’t know. I’m just doing some research for him.”

“What research?”

“Things about King Fredrick and Queen Cecilia,” she replied carelessly.

“Why did he look for you out of everyone?”

She did not know the answer. This question had occurred to her before she signed the contract but it had slowly been erased from her mind when she was too absorbed in enjoying her company with Nick Smith.

“You never asked him that?”

“Well, I guess I could.”

“He won’t reply you,” he answered dismissively and after a pause, he said, “We are not late for school, let me show you the book now.” Walking away, Stella had no choice but to follow him up to his apartment.

It was a dimly lit apartment and even sunlight from the morning sun hardly seeped into the flat. When she entered, she thought the air was musty and there was a thick aroma floating throughout the room. His room was nothing special except that he had a row of locked drawers that stretched to the ceiling and his computer table was scattered with papers and photographs. He opened one of the locked drawers and took out an old book that caught her eye immediately. Then, he opened another drawer and took out a thick grey file.

She took a seat on his bed with him. He opened the book and showed her the picture of the grim reaper looking person. It was a haunting picture and flipping to the next page, he gave her the book and asked her to read it.

The book felt familiar. She closed the book and on the front cover, it read, “Legends and Tales of our time.” The book nearly slipped out of her hands in shock. Why was Nick Smith in possession of the book?

Micheal realised that she had recognised something and asked, “Have you seen this before?”

There were two copies of the book, one with the murderer and the other with someone else. Yes, Nick Smith was that someone else. He had said that the old man stole from an aristocratic family. It only made sense that Nick’s family had possession of the other book.

“No, I haven’t,” she lied and she remembered the story she was reading about halfway. She flipped quickly and found the story. It had the exact same words. She closed it swiftly to avoid suspicion and asked, “Could you lend me this book? I would like to read the entire book.” 

“Yeah, sure. If this is going to help you to believe me,” he answered and gave her the file as well. “I’ve made copies of both just to be safe anyway.” She took both of them, ran into her room and put them in her cupboard. What was in the book that had angered Nick Smith?