Written for day three of Faberry Week: Time Travel.
Emily was furious. She had worked entirely too hard to get to where she was with Brody to be thrown to the side the second some freshman came into the picture. Well sure, they had never dated, but she had been so close to him asking her on a date. She just knew that if Rachel Berry hadn't showed up, he would've asked her out after their next dance class. So that meant she would just have to get rid of this freshman, somehow.
Her roommate had recommended she visit her aunt's cousin's brother's girlfriend's friend in Chinatown, because she was said to be able to fix problems such as these (not to mention the restaurant next door had the best vegan Chinese takeout there was, or at least she heard). Emily didn't really want to resort to playing dirty just yet (not after what happened last year with Sarah), so she figured it was worth a shot. Even if nothing good came out of it concerning Rachel, she would at least get some great food.
She took the subway downtown after her last class of the day, History of Film. She went alone, because while Chinatown may creep her parents out when they come to visit, she wasn't affected by it, and hadn't been after the first month of freshman year. New York was easily navigable now that she was a sophomore, and thus she easily found the small hole-in-the-wall store that Anna had told her about (with a little help from her iPhone, of course).
The sign above was only in Chinese, so Emily wasn't fully sure what it read, but NYADA, the well-rounded school that prepared her for any situation, had made her take a class in studying Chinese. At the time, she had complained about the fact that the only way she would ever use this in her career was if she was in a production of The King and I, to which three of her classmates pointed out actually took place in Thailand. Well, she thought as she stared up at the sign, I guess I'm using it now.
Unfortunately, her mind had decided to erase all the "useless Chinese" in favor of monologues, so she could only make out a couple symbols. From what she gathered, though, she knew she wasn't walking into an opium den or white slavery ring (yet another fear of her parents after they watched Thoroughly Modern Millie over summer break).
The inside was questionable. There was paint peeling from the walls, which were trying to be hidden with drapes to look mysterious, but ended up just looking tacky. There was absolutely nothing in the shop, save for the counter. Emily had no idea what Anna was thinking when she recommended this place. There was nothing there.
Just as she was getting ready to turn around and go place her order at the restaurant next door, an old Chinese lady stepped out from the back of the store behind the counter.
"Good afternoon, Emily," she said, smiling.
Okay, Emily was more than a little creeped out, but she didn't want to let it show. "How do you know my name?" After all, she could have just as easily learned it some perfectly normal way. There was no need for it to be creepy.
"I was told you would be coming," she replied, and Emily felt much better. "I am Madame Bei, and as I understand it, you want to win your true love back."
"Well, I don't think he's my true love or anything," Emily corrected. "But he is pretty hot, so…"
The old lady didn't look fazed. "I can help you, but it will not come cheap."
Emily almost laughed. She went to the most prestigious dramatic arts school in the country; they didn't give out scholarships there. "I can afford it, but what do you have in mind?"
Madame Bei waved the question off. "Do not worry about the details. You just worry about your wedding."
Emily smiled. She wasn't sure that she was ready for a wedding yet, but it was better than seeing Brody with Rachel Berry. "Do you take credit cards?"