𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨?
Newly graduated accountant Cordelia Ashling has come to terms with the fact that her life is destined to be absolutely uneventful. That is until her parents gift her wi...
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The book of modern poetry in my lap holds little interest for me. Maybe it's the overthought lines of purple prose and the overall emo feel that makes me want to grow my hair out and weep in a dark corner that turns me off. Or perhaps it's the woman across the library who makes me have little interest in anything but her.
Cordelia sits atop a long mahogany table, her legs crossed and hands resting on her thighs. Her eyelashes flutter against the tops of her cheeks as Lorelai directs her through several mental exercises meant to strengthen her mental walls. I'm not sure if it is working, but the soft hum of my best friend's voice is enough to lull me to sleep.
"Lorelai is a remarkable creature, isn't she?"
I glance at the petite fairy in the high-backed leather chair beside me, her lavender curls framing her round cheeks as she leans back on her translucent wings. Of course she thinks I'm fixated on Lorelai; she hasn't left the siren's side since they first hooked up. Cordelia may have labeled me as a class three stalker, but Jolene is a stage five clinger.
"She is," I murmur and turn my attention back to my book.
It shouldn't bother me the way it does that Jolene thinks I'm staring at Lorelai. I'm not blind to my best friend's beauty, but a part of me hates that anyone would think I'd prefer her over Cordelia.
"Build it up brick by brick, patching every possible crack, and then fortify it. Cover your shield in metal or thick concrete. Make it so tall that no one could climb it. Can you see it, Cora?" Lorelai asks, placing firm hands on Cordelia's shoulders to keep her grounded.
"Yes," Cordelia whispers, sounding almost shocked that she's succeeding at the exercise. I'm not surprised at all; my gir—my fake girlfriend is as clever as she is beautiful. "I see it!" This time her voice is louder, her claim full of self-confidence and bravado. "Lorelai, I did it!"
"Now the trick is to build that wall before you go to sleep and hold it erect through the night."
"She has no problems keeping things erect through the night."
The room goes silent, and I realize that my wayward thoughts just flowed out of my mouth.
Cordelia cracks an eye open and smiles at me. "I like to think of it as one of my many gifts."
She winks at me before closing her eyes again. The smile that's broken out over her face is wide and proud, and it takes everything in me to not get to my feet and sweep her into my arms. No doubt, she is satisfied not only with her ability to put up her shields but at her witty comebacks.
I pin Jolene with a pointed glance and say, "It's hard for me to notice anything else besides Cordelia; she is quite remarkable herself."
The fairy hums and leans back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.
"If we are all done with the dick innuendos, I'm trying to teach a lesson here." Lorelai pretends to be put off by our remarks, but I don't miss the tiny glimmer of approval she flashes me.
