Chapter Four :: Puzzled and Amused

The next morning fell on Anti-Fairy Academy, and it was another day of ordinary stormy weather that once again graced the grounds of Anti-Fairy World. The blood-soaked clouds drenched the plains in the intimidating light, and Anti-Cosmo sighed to himself as he aimlessly walked the paths of the academy gardens.

He felt strange all morning. Something within him had shifted, and the entire world seemed to look different in his eyes. He couldn't place this unknown feeling that resided deep within the pits of his chest, and it plagued every part of him as he absent-mindedly walked along the empty terrain that led up to the entrance of the academy. Although it seemed as if the ground beneath him had fallen away into nothingness as he delved further into his calculating mind, his eyes eventually glazed over into a dreamy state. At that point, he might as well have been walking on thin air.

His vacant gaze wandered towards the sky until he spied the tall tower that soared above the clouds ahead of him. He recognised the curve of the stones that spiralled upwards into the sky, and he knew this was his studio, his home, and his sanctuary away from the rest of the world.

Away from everyone… except her.

"Anti-Cosmo!"

He could have sworn he heard her voice echo across the grounds to call his name, but he promptly shrugged his shaken thoughts away. He absolutely refused to live through another exhausting day of battling his internal torment with nothing but thoughts of her spreading like a virus through every inch of him. And just as he was certain he had calmed down and collected himself, he recognised the sound of fast-paced tapping on the cemented ground behind him, and he nervously noticed how the sound was quickly drawing nearer and nearer.

He turned over his shoulder, and he was stunned into silence when he saw Anti-Wanda hurriedly running towards him from across the way.

"Anti-Cosmo! Hey… wait up!"

From the sight of her heavy breathing, it seemed as if she had been running for miles. And yet her laughter was just as big as her smile as she madly waved over to him in a desperate attempt to catch his attention.

You have my attention, alright…

She was only a couple strides away from him when she suddenly tripped over her own feet, shouted in surprise, and landed face first on the ground in front of him. For a few seconds, she remained frozen on the ground as the situation of what had just happened slowly dawned on her. And Anti-Cosmo was unamused as he sighed and wondered why he was so affected by a girl as clumsy as her. She was too careless and dopey, so why was someone like this able to capture his interest so much?

Then, almost as if to answer the question, Anti-Wanda picked herself up from the ground with loud laughter and a hopeless grin spread across her reddened face,

"Haha… um, I guess I got a little too excited about seeing you…"

A flush hurriedly flourished along Anti-Cosmo's face. She was certainly quick to remind him of the answer. It was because of her boundless warmth, her welcoming nature, and her carefree attitude on life that allowed her to stride forward despite her shortcomings… she was unlike any other anti-fairy he had ever met. She was an incredible rarity. And simply by looking at her then, Anti-Cosmo could feel his mind cloud over… and his uncertainties melt away… until there was only her…

Only her… all that matters is only her…

Anti-Cosmo suddenly winced when he quickly heard the sharp rustle of leaves in the distance, and he was right in his suspicions when he spotted a figure stealthily hidden behind a tall array of shrubs across the gardens. And as Anti-Cosmo squinted his eyes, he recognised the silhouette of the figure in an instant.

Anti-Cupid… he was glaring directly back at Anti-Cosmo as he noticed Anti-Cosmo had absent-mindedly reached out his hand to help Anti-Wanda get back on her feet.

Before he could think to react, Anti-Wanda gently slid her slender fingers across his palm and took a firm grasp of his hand. Anti-Cosmo felt as if his hand was burning from the sudden contact, and he felt his heart hit increasingly hard against his chest as she stumbled closer towards him on to her feet. She locked him into her gaze as she wobbled unsteadily before him, and Anti-Cosmo's mind was once more caught in a fog.

But Anti-Cupid's piercing scowl that bore a sharp hole into Anti-Cosmo's head reminded him that this was dangerous territory. All of his senses began to scream at him to let go of her, to stop staring in mindless awe of her, and to keep a distance before Anti-Cupid's suspicions were peaked even more. Anti-Cosmo pressed his lips together in a tightly thin line as he found himself reluctant to pull away from her, especially as he found her fingers fit so perfectly in his grasp… he winced his eyes again as he fought to control himself.

This looks bad… I need to get away from her, and quickly…

Awkwardly, Anti-Cosmo stumbled backwards on his feet as he jerked his hand away from hers, and his blush deepened all the more as he tried to regain his composure. Anti-Wanda cocked her head to the side in wonder at his strange behaviour as he suddenly turned away from her, and she hadn't a clue that this was Anti-Cosmo's desperately subtle attempt to hide his burning hot face. He could feel the heat radiating on his fingertips as he brought his hand to his mouth to clear his throat. His mouth was dry, his face was on fire, and it felt as if his heartbeat was reaching maximum velocity.

Suddenly, his heart plummeted to the deep depths of his stomach as he turned to find another figure approaching them from nearby. And Anti-Cosmo felt his teeth grind together at the distasteful sight of him.

"Mi amor, Anti-Wanda, I have been looking for you all morning." Anti-Juandissimo called to her and walked by Anti-Cosmo as if he hadn't even noticed him standing by, "I went to your dormitory this morning, but you were not there! I told you last night that I would walk you to the academy today, did I not? Did you forget my promise to you, mi querida?"

"I didn't forget." Anti-Wanda told him coldly and quickly brushed him aside.

Anti-Cosmo's ears twitched in interest as he caught on to this. Anti-Wanda walked straight past Anti-Juandissimo with her chin lifted to the sky and a less than pleased expression on her face. She was deliberately giving Anti-Juandissimo the cold shoulder, and Anti-Cosmo fought the urge to smirk. Then his eyebrows rose in surprise as he wondered why...

"Oh Anti-Wanda, lo siento! Lo siento, mi amor!" Anti-Juandissimo suddenly reached out and caught her hand in his before she could walk away from him, and she reluctantly turned his way with a look of despair stricken on her face, "I'm sorry for last night, Anti-Wanda, I'm so sorry. I never want to hurt you! Please, don't be angry with me…"

"But I'm tired, Anti-Juandissimo. I'm tired of seeing you shrink away like a little mouse who refuses to fight back! Why don't you ever fight for me, huh? Why do you never stand up for me when I need you?" Anti-Wanda angrily pushed his hand away from hers as she crossed her arms over her chest and furiously glared back at him, "I'm tired of being put in second place with you. So I've decided… enough is enough. Why should I put any more effort into us when you don't put any effort in at all? You just… you don't seem like you care about me at all…"

Just as Anti-Wanda finished, Anti-Juandissimo suddenly fell to his knees in a collapsed heap, and the bystanders watched in complete shock as Anti-Juandissimo clasped his hands together and desperately shuffled towards Anti-Wanda to openly beg her,

"I do care, Anti-Wanda, I do! You know me, I am an absolute mess without you! You are right, I am a scared little mouse, but you give me the strength that I need to become less cowardly. It might not seem like it, especially after that terrible mistake I made last night, but I am working on it! I just… I cannot do it without you. Anti-Wanda… oh, mi fuerza… lo siento… lo siento, mi amor… te amo… te amo, Anti-Wanda…"

Anti-Juandissimo audibly sobbed with dry tears as he shuffled to Anti-Wanda's side to clutch on to the hem of her shirt. He buried his face against her hip and Anti-Wanda tried her best to look as if this wasn't bothering her… but her uncomfortable expression completely contradicted this. She trembled as she tried her hardest to resist, but the more Anti-Juandissimo declared his love for her in his broken state, the less she could hold up her guard. Anti-Wanda finally sighed and turned to him to hesitantly take a hold of his arms.

"Oh… stop that, will you? You're… causing a scene down there."

Anti-Juandissimo sniffed and unattractively wiped his nose with his forearm. Then as Anti-Wanda helped him up to his feet, she loosely held on to his arms as she looked at his large watery eyes, and sighed once again as she seemed reluctant to give in like this.

"I forgive you this one time, okay? After this, I hope you will grow a backbone and treat me better. My patience is wearing thin…"

"I am a changed man, Anti-Wanda. Believe me, I have learned from my mistake, because I do not wish to lose you! Te amo, mi princesa hermosa…"

Anti-Wanda finally managed to smile a little, and Anti-Juandissimo took this chance to fully embrace her in his arms. She shouted slightly in surprise when she suddenly found herself crushed beneath his eager embrace, until she laughed nervously as she loosely held on to his shoulders in return.

Anti-Cosmo, however, wished he had left long ago. He felt himself growing increasingly sick at the sight of the couple, and as his stomach turned over in disgust, he took this as a cue to leave immediately. Quickly, he turned on his heels and strode away with his clenched fists swinging robotically at his sides, and headed straight for the entrance of the academy. He knew he couldn't stay another minute near Anti-Wanda when she acted so close to Anti-Juandissimo, it was too sickly to look at. And he left without a word and a single glance back at them.

Anti-Cupid scowled at the couple in the distance as he shared Anti-Cosmo's distaste for the couple from afar. Although he hated them for a slightly different reason…

Meanwhile, Anti-Wanda only let herself feel limp in her boyfriend's grasp, and her small smile seemed strained as if she tried her best to appear happy and relieved. She couldn't help but feel an uneasy stab in her chest as she idly clutched Anti-Juandissimo's shoulders. Something about this felt wrong… something within her felt as if she was making a vital mistake… and as she tried to convince herself that she was only imagining things, and as she tried to tell herself that she was truly where she belonged… she couldn't help the swaying feeling in her heart that begged her to reconsider…

And she silently wondered… was this the right choice?

After that scene, Anti-Wanda soon found Anti-Cosmo lingering near the salad bar in the canteen with his careful eyes scanning the bowls of fruit laid out before him. It was strange, she found, that Anti-Cosmo's attentive stare bred an air of sophistication all around him. She wondered if he was aware of the impression he gave off simply by doing the most menial tasks. And as he idly picked up a red apple and held it in the air, Anti-Wanda was amused by the way he would slowly turn it around in his tight grasp to inspect every inch of the fruit. It was as if he was expecting to find a long lost Beethoven sonnet hidden deeply in the core.

Every other anti-fairy felt intimidated by how strong of an impression he emanated, whether it was intentional or not, but Anti-Wanda felt fearless as she walked in stride to his side. She even dared to pick the apple from his grasp and smiled teasingly up to him. When Anti-Cosmo saw her there all of a sudden with his apple in hand, he arched an eyebrow and spoke with a deadpan voice,

"You're not going to let me have a peaceful morning, are you?"

"Of course not, that would be too boring." She replied with a grin and heartily bit into the apple without a second thought. Anti-Cosmo scowled as his eyes rolled to the ceiling, then he was determined to be all the more stern with her,

"Hm. Boring or not, I hope you'll leave that attitude out of the studio today. It seems to me that drama follows you everywhere you go, and distractions will not benefit a healthy working environment. So I won't allow anymore disruptions from this point onwards. You understand?"

Anti-Wanda looked vacantly away from the apple hanging between her fingers, and a distant sorrow tinged her expression all of a sudden. She spoke quietly, as if she couldn't quite find her voice,

"Right… you're right. I'm sorry about what happened this morning. I didn't really intend on causing a scene, especially in front of you. I'll keep my relationship separated from my school work. You can trust me on that."

Anti-Cosmo cleared his throat once again as he hadn't intended on upsetting her. He couldn't bear to see her so troubled. Then, he froze up. As soon as he recognised the sharp stabs of unease suddenly strike at his heart, Anti-Cosmo turned away from her to avoid eye contact as he shouted unsteadily,

"Listen, I only meant that you keep your personal life away from your work, I didn't say that you should… ugh, look, do what you want, I don't care about what you do with your relationship! That's none of my business, and I'm really not interested anyway…"

The uncontrollable volume of his voice betrayed everything that he was saying, and Anti-Wanda laughed as she clearly picked up on that. No matter how much Anti-Cosmo tried to deny it, he couldn't seem to lie easily to her. She saw right through him, and Anti-Cosmo's self- confidence wavered once again. Anti-Wanda shrugged in reply,

"Well, when I explain why I was angry with Anti-Juandissimo, it might not seem all that interesting anyway." Anti-Wanda said with a small smile, then she leant against the side of the salad bar with a sigh as she rested her weight on one hip, with the half-eaten apple hanging idly in her other hand, "Last night started out to be a lot of fun. Anti-Juandissimo and I spent the night at the movies and eating the greasiest pizzas from the greasiest pizzeria joints in Anti-Fairy world. He was even kind enough to give me a ride home in his car to see me off, and I was sure it was going to be one of those nights you remember for years to come… but my roommates were hanging around outside my dormitory to smoke…"

Anti-Cosmo caught Anti-Wanda shiver with anger as her eyes glazed over with fury flaring in her rose-coloured irises.

"My roommates… they're not very nice at all. They like to pick on me a lot. It's not fun having to live with them, it's not fun at all." Her voice grew louder with annoyance as she tightly gripped on to her apple and clenched her fingers around the side of the salad bar, "As I walked by, my roommates were making very rude comments about me. I tried to stand up for myself, but I couldn't say anything… I just kind of… stood there. Like a scared little kid."

Anti-Wanda sighed as she recalled the painful moment in her mind, and her voice grew softer with sadness,

"But, y'know, I'm only one person. And there were three of them all making fun of me, I couldn't stand a chance by myself. So when I turned around to see if Anti-Juandissimo would come to help me, I saw him shrinking down into his car seat! What a cowardly little mouse… he'd rather let these girls rip me to shreds than interfere and stand up for me. He'll do anything to avoid confrontation. He's the kind of person who cares too much about what other people think of him, and it's becoming clear to me now that his desperate need for universal approval conflicts with being with someone like me. Anti-Cosmo, it's… it's really starting to wear me down..."

Anti-Cosmo felt his blood boil as he clearly imagined the scenario in his head, and how pathetic it must have been of Anti-Juandissimo to completely avoid entering the scene. And his anger rose all the more as he figured Anti-Wanda must have been distraught to see her boyfriend stand on the side-lines whilst she had to endure a verbal beat down. Anti-Cosmo felt no need to hold back the truth as he suddenly stepped closer to her, and his hardened eyes gazed at her with determination,

"He's nothing but a gutless coward who isn't worth the effort, Anti-Wanda. You said it yourself, if he's not putting in the effort to make this work then you should forget him. Put your hard work into someone who is willing to do the same for you…"

"You really think so?" Anti-Wanda asked, and her hips swung aside as she placed her weight on the other foot, then her lips curled into a playful smirk as she leant the apple against her mouth as if she went to kiss it, "Someone who is willing to do the same for me, huh? Do you have someone else in mind for me, then?"

Anti-Cosmo's head quickly burst into a fiery flush, as if steam had suddenly erupted out of his ears. His mouth hung open as he flustered to think what she was exactly implying… and if he was all that opposed to what she was implying.

Wh-what are you saying? You mean… s-someone like… like me?

Then, just before he could really put thought into his answer, Anti-Wanda rested her hands on her hips and laughed heartily aloud,

"I know exactly what you're thinking, Anti-Cosmo… you think that I'd be better suited with someone like Anti-Guy," she grinned knowingly as she saw Anti-Cosmo's agape mouth hang lower in complete dismay, "Hmm, well… Anti-Guy is confident, he's intelligent, and he's definitely got that hot teacher trope going on… but Anti-Guy is a little older than me. I just don't see how it would work out between us. Although I can see why you'd think we'd make a good match, I mean we do spend a lot of time together and we get along really well… but no, I don't see how we'd ever get together."

Anti-Cosmo could only stare at her in slack-jawed confusion. He couldn't even believe he was having this conversation with her.

And yet, he couldn't help the feeling of slight relief with her answer…

The working day was going by quicker than Anti-Cosmo had anticipated.

As he had occupied his morning with loudly wielding materials together, he occasionally put his soldering iron aside and pulled up his safety goggles to glance over to the far side of his studio. Then he would idly watch Anti-Wanda concentrate on her experiments. She had a particular way of working, Anti-Cosmo had noticed. As she inspected each potion, she held up the vial to the air so that the brightly coloured chemicals within the flasks could be clearly seen glistening behind the glass in the sunlight. Anti-Wanda's eyes would squint at it for a long time, the tip of her tongue would slightly peak through her lips, and when she knew she was on to something extraordinary, her crooked smile would widen across her face and she'd dive over her notes to scribble down her thoughts and ideas.

It was odd to see Anti-Wanda wrapped up in her own world. He felt strange as he noticed how he would glance over to her more and more as the time progressed onwards. Especially when Anti-Wanda would catch him in the act. Without any warning, Anti-Wanda would suddenly stop in the midst of her experimentation and glance over her shoulder towards him, and on instinct, Anti-Cosmo would drop his flustered gaze to the ground and quickly clutch on to the handle of his soldering iron, as if he hadn't been looking at her at all. And Anti-Wanda would watch how he worked in return.

This would repeat throughout the day. Anti-Cosmo's fixated stare would wander over to her, and he'd silently lose track of his thoughts as her simple presence was enough to distract him. He noticed the brightly coloured puffs of chemically induced smoke sprinkle through the air as she expertly mixed them together, and the small sparks of magical dust motes would rain down the rays of sunlight spilling through the cracks of the stained glass windows and reflect in her rose-coloured irises.

It was a beautiful display, and Anti-Wanda was at the centre of it all. Anti-Cosmo winced at an unknown pressure heavily pressing down on his heart.

"Hey Anti-Cosmo, do you have a minute?"

His back snapped upright the moment he heard her call to him.

"Sure, what is it?"

When Anti-Wanda didn't reply right away, Anti-Cosmo curiously glanced at her through the corners of his eyes as he refused to face away from his work. But he was all the more intrigued when Anti-Wanda had paused to hesitantly bite down on her full bottom lip.

"Well, I've been wanting to tell you this all day, but to tell you the truth… I've been too nervous to speak up, until now…"

Slowly, Anti-Cosmo turned away from his work to meet up with her uneasy gaze. She was fidgeting a lot. Anti-Wanda's hands ran through her ocean-coloured curls sitting over her shoulders and she twisted the loose strands around her slender fingers. Anti-Cosmo's eyes widened all the more as he grew all the more curious.

"There's no need to be afraid to speak your mind to me. In fact, I encourage it." Anti-Cosmo told her patiently, and smirked as the thought crossed his mind, "If you're able to speak up against someone as terrifying and prestigious as me, then you're stronger than most anti-fairies in this academy already."

Anti-Wanda giggled shyly, and her face flushed a little as she brushed her loose curls behind her ear. She took a moment to take a breath, before she looked back at Anti-Cosmo with a small smile lingering on her misshapen lips, and her voice had unexpectedly softened,

"Um… I want to thank you for listening to me earlier. I know you said that I should keep my private life separate from my work, but even so, I'm glad you lent an ear when I told you about what happened with Anti-Juandissimo. It… it really meant a lot to me that you were willing to hear me out…"

Anti-Cosmo blinked at her with a blank stare stricken over his face. He certainly didn't expect this kind of response, and for a moment, he was frozen in complete surprise. Anti-Cosmo quickly cleared his throat as he coughed into his hand, and averted his gaze away for a moment to regain his composure. But his voice was quiet when he replied,

"Really, now… it's nothing worth thanking me for…"

"That's not true, it's worth plenty!" Anti-Wanda protested loudly as she suddenly felt very emotional over this, and Anti-Cosmo almost jumped back by her reaction, "You might not understand it, but I really am grateful. My roommates… they're really horrible people. I put up with their comments every day, and I'm forced to endure it because my boyfriend refuses to step in and help me. I guess… I just need to hear that someone is on my side, for once. I need to know that someone… well, anyone will stick up for me…"

As Anti-Wanda held her arms and shrank into herself, Anti-Cosmo was almost tortured by the sound of her pained voice. He watched her hopelessly as his eyes grew soft, and his mouth slightly hung open as he slowly took an intake of breath. It was almost too much to see Anti-Wanda so cut up. And as she finally lifted her head to catch his gaze once again, Anti-Wanda's sudden watery eyes shimmered through the thin cloud of brightly coloured chemical motes in the air, and her voice was barely audible as she asked,

"Anti-Cosmo… w-would you… would you stick up for me?"

He promptly swallowed a hard gulp. As she said this, Anti-Cosmo hesitated as he tried to think of something to reply with, but for once in his clever life, he was lost for words. His mind drew a torturous blank. And the more he stared back at Anti-Wanda's vulnerable eyes, the more he felt himself being pulled towards her.

He knew in his mind what he wanted to say. He knew he wanted to keep himself at a distance, he wanted to refuse everything that was happening and he wanted to keep her firmly at arm's length… but…

He knew in his heart… he wanted…

"…you shouldn't overthink things." He replied simply as he managed to turn his head away at last, despite being flushed with colour.

"Oh. Well, that's easy for me. I never overthink things." She told him with an easy-going smile.

And Anti-Cosmo grew jealous of her.

I wish I could say the same…

The day was finally done, and Anti-Cosmo could call it another successful productive day of work.

The Earth's sun was beginning to hide away behind the blanket of stormy clouds that covered the entire terrain of Anti-Fairy world, and Anti-Wanda groaned as she climbed down the stairs leading out of the studio. The darkness that fell over her as she re-entered the intimidating setting of her home world depressed her, and her head hung low as she lazily hovered to the lower level of the academy.

However, she perked up immediately at she spun quickly on her heels to turn towards Anti-Cosmo following close behind her. Anti-Cosmo's eyes flew open in complete surprise as he almost bumped straight into her, and he watched her incredulously as her ocean curls elegantly flew over her shoulders and perfectly framed her baby-shaped face. She lit up with a large goofy smile gracing her softened features.

"Walk me home?" Anti-Wanda casually asked him as she clasped her hands together behind her back and hovered backwards as if she was skating on air, "I have something to give you, but I left it in my room. Walk home with me so I can get it for you, okay?"

Anti-Cosmo once again had no idea what to expect from her, and once more, his intrigue was getting too much to just leave it at that. Anti-Cosmo nodded almost robotically in response, and watched in surprise as Anti-Wanda skipped into the air as if she was instantly made even happier. As she led him through the darkened corridors of the academy, Anti-Cosmo arched an eyebrow as a sudden thought had quickly occurred to him,

"Hold on a minute. Why should we walk home? Has it escaped you that we're magical beings?" Anti-Cosmo said unamused as Anti-Wanda curiously looked over her shoulder to him, "It wouldn't take us more than a second to teleport us to your dormitory by magic."

Anti-Wanda smiled innocently as she softly replied,

"That's exactly why we're walking. We'd spend more time together this way."

Immediately after she turned back to float happily down the corridor, she hadn't a clue that Anti-Cosmo had stopped in his tracks completely. His eyes were wide and his face heated up in a matter of seconds. His gaze absently wandered to his side as he covered his mouth with his hand, and he spent the moment trying his absolute best to calm down his racing heartbeat. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not calm down. Not while she was around.

This girl…

The couple arrived at Anti-Wanda's dormitory after a longer than average walk through the academy grounds, until the cracked streetlights blinked to life alongside the jagged streets of Anti-Fairy World. The stormy clouds grew denser as the evening grew closer, and the few hints of light that managed to spill across the terrain were the dull blood-soaked tints of colour spreading along the pavement beneath their feet.

Anti-Cosmo lingered at the gate entrance of Anti-Wanda's dormitory, and waited until Anti-Wanda could return with the all-clear. They both knew that it was school policy to keep boys out of the girl's dormitories after hours, but it was a rule that barely anyone followed. After all, it was in an anti-fairies' best interests to break as many rules as possible. Anti-Wanda found it all too easy to avert the attention of any authority nearby, and casually swung the gate open with her usual carefree grin.

But it wasn't the authorities that Anti-Wanda was mostly worried about.

"Wait here for a moment, okay? I want to give you something… but I think I left it under my pillow. I'll go get it for you." Anti-Wanda said quietly as she held the entrance door open for him.

Anti-Cosmo quickly scanned his surroundings, and noticed how the girl's dormitory was similar to his own. The kitchen door was situated on the right, and the lounge was attached to the hallway on his left passed the front porch. He lingered at the entrance for a moment as he nonchalantly straightened his sleeves, and Anti-Wanda had already began to wander further down the hallway without him.

"Ah, I knew I could smell something bad come into the room. Look who's just come home." A high-pitched voice loudly called from across the lounge, and a wave of laughter echoed soon after.

Anti-Cosmo's head snapped up immediately after he heard this. In an instant, his disgust grew all the more as he figured out that these people must be Anti-Wanda's roommates, and by the sounds of it, there was a small crowd of girls in the lounge chattering amongst themselves as Anti-Wanda froze in fear once she had become the subject of their conversation.

"It's hard to miss a smell like that. I once walked past a dead skunk in the road and I thought it was her!"

"Oh my god, you're such a bitch! That's insulting to the dead skunk!"

The obnoxious laughter followed once again, and Anti-Wanda could only shrink into herself all the more as her face lit up with white hot embarrassment. And as soon as Anti-Cosmo noticed how her eyes became watery and her bottom lip began to tremble, Anti-Cosmo couldn't take it anymore.

Quickly, he stepped from the front porch and walked to Anti-Wanda's side without hesitation. She looked up to him in surprise as she found herself shocked by his determination to step in, and his eyes grew hard as he stared straight at the five girls sitting in the lounge. And in turn, the girls immediately stopped laughing. Everyone in the academy knew Anti-Cosmo, and as soon as he walked through the hallway and glared directly at them all with anger flaring in his cold eyes, the girls had frozen in fear. The instant he saw them, he could read what kind of girls these were in seconds. With make-up caked over their faces and clothing that revealed almost every inch of their skin, they were very insecure women who looked like exact clones of each other. And the silence that dragged on was deafening - if a pin had dropped at that moment, it would have been as loud as a tree crashing down to Earth.

In an effort to create some peace, Anti-Wanda laid a gentle hand over Anti-Cosmo's arm and distracted him instantly.

"I'll show you to my room, okay? We'll have some privacy there." She told him softly and smiled gratefully as she pulled him through the hallway.

Immediately afterwards, the girls watched nervously as they began murmuring to each other under their breath. Their eyes never once flickered away from the couple as they continued down the hallway towards the bedrooms situated at the back of the building, but Anti-Cosmo was too infuriated to leave things as they were. Especially as he could clearly hear a harsh rumour beginning to circle amongst them:

"That's Anti-Cosmo, right? Why is someone like Anti-Wanda friends with a scary guy like that?"

"Y'know, even though he's, like, the scariest person in the entire academy, he's still kinda, like, hot… right?"

"Yeah, I was thinking that too. So, do you think they're…?"

"No! Wait… do you think? How could she possibly be…"

"You don't think so?"

"Well… I don't know! She's such a loser, I'm surprised she's got a boyfriend at all."

"She's dating Anti-Juandissimo, loser number two. He's hardly out of her league."

"And do you think she's cheating on him with Anti-Cosmo? Ew! She should stick to her own kind!"

"Her own kind?"

"You know, losers. She should stick to dating losers like her. Anti-Cosmo is hot, intelligent, clearly not a loser… I should ask for his phone number…"

"I didn't know you were into sloppy seconds."

"I am not, shut up! You're gross."

"Anti-Wanda's far grosser, anyway. She's cheating on her loser boyfriend with the most powerful anti-fairy in the academy. How's that for the scandal of the century…"

"You know what I heard? I heard that Anti-Cosmo is personally tutoring her because she's too stupid to go to regular classes."

"So Anti-Cosmo is her teacher? Oh, I can guess what's going on here then! I bet she's opening her legs for a shot at a better grade."

"Oh my god, you're right! That's why they're going to her bedroom right now, it makes so much sense! What a total slut!"

"She's too much of an idiot to graduate any of her classes so she's been giving her teachers special 'favours' in exchange for a passing grade."

"She's such a skank."

"I always knew she was just a stupid whore…"

Anti-Cosmo couldn't hear another word of this.

All of a sudden, Anti-Cosmo turned around and ripped himself away from Anti-Wanda's desperate grasp. He rounded the corner of the hallway and caught the girl's attention once again as his piercing scowl rendered them frozen in terror. His chin lifted to the air as he truly felt that these girls were beneath him in every way, and winced disgustedly as he spat each word as if venom hung on to each one,

"Is this really what you girls do with your free time? Are your lives really so boring that you feel the need to project your own insecurities on to other people?" He asked them with a condescending tone that left the girls speechless, "I suggest from now on, you keep your small-minded comments to yourselves. It would be a shame to see your scholarship, or at the very least, your life put to an end if one of your little inane rumours were to leave the confines of this room. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You… you wouldn't do that…" One of the girls meekly defended herself as her voice shook with absolute fear.

Anti-Cosmo chuckled darkly in response, and his voice grew colder as all signs of sympathy or compassion were void in his eyes. He looked all the more terrifying as his hair cast a shadow over his piercing emerald eyes and a sinister grin split his face,

"Of course I would. Or would you rather gamble your very existence on the slim chance that I might not?"

Suddenly, his quick speed launched himself towards the girl. She squeaked in surprise when she couldn't find the nerve within her to scream as Anti-Cosmo instantaneously appeared directly in front of her. His index and middle finger pushed her chin to the air, and the girl whimpered under her breath as she noticed how Anti-Cosmo's hand resembled the shape of a gun. The girls beside her had shuffled away in terror as they didn't dare to interfere.

"I assume you already know of my reputation, so I have to wonder if you would really put your life on the line like this. But even so, I must say… I do enjoy a challenge."

The girl squealed once again and her forehead visibly glistened with perspiration when Anti-Cosmo nudged her back even further. Then his eyes became darker as his voice grew all the more threatening,

"But if you do so, carve this into your memory; if you say anything, do anything, or so much as look at Anti-Wanda wrong, then I'll take all the make-up that you've slapped over your face and make you eat it so you can at least be pretty on the inside." The girl stared in disbelief, until Anti-Cosmo finally asked through his clenched teeth, "Do you understand me?"

She nodded erratically until she could finally breathe again once Anti-Cosmo stepped back away from her. He glanced to the other girls as a fair warning to all of them, and as this silent agreement sunk into the air, Anti-Cosmo promptly turned his back on the girls and sighed in triumph. Then he saw Anti-Wanda standing nearby in the hallway. Her hands were tightly clasped against her chest as she could feel her heartbeat racing impossibly fast.

Anti-Cosmo lingered beside her in the hallway for the moment. The silent atmosphere was warm as they exchanged glances, and almost absent-mindedly, Anti-Wanda held his gaze for longer than she anticipated as she remained simply in awe of him. Then, she quickly snapped out of it, as if she had just resurfaced from a trance, and bashfully shook her beetroot head,

"Oh, um…" She tried to restart her train of thought, but her mind drew a blank. Then, Anti-Cosmo patiently reminded her,

"You wanted to give me something?"

"Y-Yes, that's right. Sorry, um, this way…" Anti-Wanda vacantly turned down the hallway and led him away from the lounge. The girls anxiously watched them disappear from their sight, and neither one of them dared to ever speak of that moment again.

Anti-Cosmo followed Anti-Wanda from a close distance, and as they came nearer to her bedroom entrance, Anti-Wanda's hand hesitated over the door handle before her quietened voice suddenly caught Anti-Cosmo's attention,

"You didn't have to do that…"

Anti-Cosmo arched an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest, and he ignored the light flush forming over his face,

"Those girls were annoying. I was simply putting them in their place. It's about time someone did." He affirmed nonchalantly as he stood his ground, "And nothing is more powerful in shaping a person's actions than the irreparable feeling of fear gripping at their very soul. Trust me, they won't be bothering you again from now on."

Anti-Wanda blinked at him for a moment as her mind wrapped around the idea, before she nodded understandably and finally turned the door handle down to open it,

"Ah, I see. I suppose that's true. As much as I wouldn't like to believe it… it's really fear that controls us the most." She said quietly as she stepped aside and held her hand out to guide him inside, "Come in for a moment, okay?"

Anti-Cosmo quickly glanced at her as he walked inside, and noted how distant her voice became as she reflected to herself. He wondered if what he'd said touched a nerve, or something hit too close to home, but as Anti-Cosmo wandered inside the room, he was frozen in place when he suddenly realised he was inside Anti-Wanda's bedroom.

He heard the door click shut behind him, and his ears heated up in response. It was at that moment when it finally sunk in: he was alone with Anti-Wanda in her own bedroom. For the longest time, he couldn't even hear the sound of his own pounding heartbeat. But he slowly calmed down as he looked around the room and scanned his surroundings. He wasn't at all surprised by how messy it was. Her bedroom had her personality all over it. Anti-Wanda's desk was stockpiled with folders and books laid out in uneven stacks, cans and bottles were scattered around the floor alongside discarded clothing in untouched heaps, and he noticed there were pieces of clothing hanging in odd places all around the room. Shirts were hanging off the ceiling fan, shoes were idly hung on the bedposts…

Then Anti-Cosmo's eyes quickly shot away from the top of her wardrobe door as soon as he accidentally caught a glimpse of her black bra hanging on top of it.

"Hey, are you alright?" Anti-Wanda asked as she suddenly laid a supportive hand on his arm, "You look a little flushed…"

"I'm fine! Don't worry about it." Anti-Cosmo told her too quickly as he flinched away. His reddened face hadn't cooled down at all as Anti-Wanda closely inspected him with suspicion. Again, Anti-Cosmo felt too exposed around her, as she found it too easy to look straight through him. There was no point in lying to her. She noticed in an instant when he acted strange.

But she shrugged it off as she walked over to her window. Her gaze wandered off into the distance as she succumbed to the silence that blanketed over them. And Anti-Cosmo knew then: it seemed there was something else on her mind.

Anti-Cosmo was always good at reading a person's actions, he always knew what was going through a person's mind… but he just couldn't pinpoint anything with Anti-Wanda. He wondered if it was because he didn't know her well enough to recognise when something was wrong with her… but somehow, he could tell…

"So, um… thanks for helping me out back there." Anti-Wanda began as she leant backwards against the window sill, and slowly brought her distant gaze back to him, "You really are as fearless as all the rumours say about you…"

"Heh, you flatter me. But they're not rumours for any reason, I'll tell you that much." Anti-Cosmo boasted as he proudly rested his fists on his hips, "It's not actually that hard to keep up this reputation either. If you think about it, I just gave you a demonstration. You saw how I'm able to defuse harsh rumours that may circulate about me before they get any worse. It's the fear factor that makes a person paranoid. If they believe in this dangerous persona that I've created, then no one would ever dream about sullying my name. They believe their life would be in danger if they dared to try."

Anti-Wanda's eyebrows rose with curiosity as she asked,

"And… have you actually, um… disposed of anyone who tried?"

Again, Anti-Cosmo froze up. He remembered the last time Anti-Wanda had asked him if he had ever killed anyone. She asked him this question on the day they met. And he remembered how he answered it the last time. His answer was… less than pleasing. Once more, Anti-Cosmo couldn't think of a response that he was happy with, so he became annoyed and dismissed the question entirely,

"Does that really matter?" He snapped as he crossed his arms in a childish huff, "The point is that they believe in the rumours. You'll find that the imagination is much worse than the truth anyway."

Anti-Wanda giggled to herself as she saw right through him once again.

"But you've never straight up killed someone before?"

Anti-Cosmo's eye twitched in annoyance. She had asked the same question in the exact same fashion as before. And Anti-Cosmo didn't find this nearly as funny as Anti-Wanda clearly did. In fact, he felt she was intentionally challenging him. And so in silence, Anti-Cosmo's burning hot hand reached into his pocket and tightly gripped on to his wand. He could feel his magic building up intensely within his fingers, and he wondered for a moment…

would I really go through with what I intended to do the first time we met? Would I really… dispose of her…?

"Anyway, you're right. That wasn't the point of this." Anti-Wanda's laughter died down as her voice suddenly softened. Anti-Cosmo kept his hand in his pocket with his fist curled around his wand, but he stopped all together when he was suddenly caught in Anti-Wanda's genuine smile, "The point is… you put yourself and your reputation on the line to stand up for me. And that's… that's more than I could have ever hoped for from you…"

Suddenly, Anti-Cosmo's eyes grew wide as he realised that was exactly what he had done. And she understood that very well. Instantly, the wand in his grasp became too insignificant to remember…

"I asked you earlier if you would, um, stick up for me when I needed someone, a-and I remember you didn't exactly give me a straight answer…" Anti-Wanda's silhouette almost lit up alongside her bright crooked smile as the dull reddened light from the outside faded over her figure, and she sighed with sincere happiness as she told him with her heart on her sleeve, "…but after what you've done for me today… I know… I know for certain that you would. So, thank you, Anti-Cosmo. To know that someone out there is willing to do that for me, it... it just makes me hopeful. And don't worry. Your reputation is safe with me."

Anti-Cosmo… was simply blown away by her again.

Once again, Anti-Wanda had demonstrated her ability to render him speechless, with his heart crashing against his chest in a desperate attempt to escape. And his throat ran dry as his mouth hung agape with wordless awe. Quickly, he coughed into his hand as he took a minute to himself to regain his composure, as he had done many times before around her. He was baffled by how easily she was able to break through his walls. Never had he met someone so challenging in every little thing they do. Never had he met someone who could shake down his confidence with so little effort.

Anti-Wanda was something else, and she was too clueless to realise… she could very easily be Anti-Cosmo's greatest enemy.

"Look, I… uh, i-it's no problem, alright?" Anti-Cosmo told her unsteadily as he refused to look at her smile in fear that he may lose track of his thoughts again, "N-now, isn't there something you wanted to give me?"

"Yes! Absolutely! I promise I'll stop stalling now." Anti-Wanda laughed as she wandered over to her bed on the far side of the bedroom.

Once she fell backwards against the bed, she giggled like a toddler as she bounced slightly on the springy mattress. Anti-Cosmo noted how much fun she made of everything, and curiously found it to be a lovely trait of hers. Then, he paused in surprise as he saw Anti-Wanda pause and wait for him patiently as she patted the space beside her. Anti-Cosmo had paused entirely when he realised: she wanted him to sit next to her. On her bed.

Hesitantly, Anti-Cosmo ignored the oncoming flush forming over his face, and decided to push through his nerves and go through with it, despite every other sane thought in his mind screaming at him to refuse. Anti-Wanda had to withhold her laughter as Anti-Cosmo rigidly sat at a distance beside her, and his widened eyes stared in any other direction other than at her. Anti-Wanda bit down on her bottom lip as she snorted,

"Relax, will you? I told you it was just under my pillow, see…"

Anti-Wanda dug her hand underneath the pillow beside her, and Anti-Cosmo peaked over to see what she had promptly fished out. And he took a sharp intake of breath as he looked over this incredible artefact that she held proudly into the air.

"I don't believe it. Is that… an amulet of the gods?"

"Oh, please. It's not nearly as prestigious as it looks." Anti-Wanda laughed as she cradled the chain of beads in her hands, and affectionately threaded it through her fingers with a soft sigh, "But still, it's just as important to me. It was… given to me long ago. By my mother."

Anti-Cosmo immediately noticed how sombre Anti-Wanda sounded as she looked over the amulet in her grasp. She held it so carefully as if it were made of glass, and held it up in the air for Anti-Cosmo to inspect every significant inch of it. Anti-Cosmo noted how intricately crafted it was made, as each bead withheld a small illustration engraved on the inside. They were pictures of scarabs and wide eyes, and after a few seconds of inspection, Anti-Cosmo recognised the style.

"Did your mother obtain this in Egypt, around the time of the Middle Kingdom?"

"Yes, she did! Anti-Cosmo, you're incredible…" Anti-Wanda praised him in amazement, and he replied with a bright flush forming over his face once again. Then, as Anti-Wanda lay the amulet delicately in her palms, she calmly turned to him, crossed her legs on the bed, and closed her eyes as she spoke in an incredibly serious tone that shook Anti-Cosmo to the core, "…before she, um, disappeared, my mother gave this to me almost like a parting gift. And I remember what she told me as she passed it to me – she explained that our existence is dark and dangerous, but it is our existence that brings balance to the universe. The fate of all life on Earth simply can't advance without the perfect balance of good fortune and bad luck."

"Your mother is a very wise woman." Anti-Cosmo nodded in admiration.

But Anti-Wanda's eyes grew dark and distance as she flatly continued,

"She… she was an unhappy woman. She hated herself, she hated what she was and her responsibility as an anti-fairy. She wished that she didn't exist. She wished… she wished that I didn't exist… just so I didn't have to endure suffering through a life as an anti-fairy."

The way that Anti-Wanda had vacantly stared at the amulet in her hands had drawn a sharp shiver down Anti-Cosmo's spine. He had never seen Anti-Wanda so cold and bitter about anything before, and once he had, he felt the most unnerving feeling shoot through his very soul. Then, as the terrifying moment passed, Anti-Wanda solemnly continued,

"At first, I didn't understand it at all. How could I… how could anyone suffer because of their own birth? But, as I got older, I realised what she meant. We were born with a purpose, we were born with a desire deeply ingrained in our subconscious: bring bad luck to humanity. Keep the universe balanced. In doing so, all life will continue. Our lives will always be eternal. That is why this ankh hangs at the front of this amulet. It's a constant reminder of why we're alive, and what we're put into this universe to do."

Anti-Wanda cradled the ankh in her palm and stroked the detailed indents carved into it. Anti-Cosmo knew that an ankh represented endlessly living, and he found it very fitting considering the nature of their immortality. However, the way that Anti-Wanda looked at the symbol, she spoke as if she resented it more than anything,

"We suffer to fulfil our duties without question, that's what it means. The moment we are born, the meaning of our existence is already decided for us. We're anti-fairies, and we strive to conform to our purpose like mindless puppets. And it doesn't matter if I'm good at it or not, this is what I'm meant to do…"

Anti-Wanda choked out a bitter laugh.

"My mother left me with the belief that it is possible to change our fate. We have the power to tip the balance of the universe and tear the fabric of existence… if we so choose." Anti-Wanda's distant voice turned colder than ever before, and a harsh shiver struck down Anti-Cosmo's spine, before Anti-Wanda's innocent smile suddenly returned once again, "But, y'know, I think my mother only said this because deep down… she just wanted to be a fairy. Nothing more, nothing less. That's why she passed on this amulet of good luck charms. She always defied her nature and only wanted to bring good luck to the humans. And I suppose, in a sense, even an anti-fairy is in need of some good luck every now and again. That's why I've always kept it with me."

Then, slowly, Anti-Wanda wrapped the amulet around Anti-Cosmo's hands and clasped them together between hers. He froze as he felt the warmth of her palms gently embrace him, and felt his breath being drawn out between his lips when she brought herself forward to rest her forehead against his. Gradually, she closed her eyes, and she concentrated hard as she said,

"I… want to pass some of my good luck on to you. I feel like, um, I was pretty fortunate to have met you, since only really good things have happened when you're around. So I want to return the favour somehow. Hopefully th-this will make up for everything you have done for me so far. M-maybe this will kick-start the future you've wanted. Maybe… maybe this will be the beginning of something truly great… if I can help even a little bit, then maybe… um…"

She trailed off into thin air as her face hurriedly flushed with colour the moment she opened her eyes again. She didn't quite realise exactly what she had done by holding Anti-Cosmo's hands gently within her own, and by resting her head tenderly against his. As she held her gaze towards Anti-Cosmo for a few moments longer, she hadn't truly realised… how beautiful Anti-Cosmo's emerald eyes were. He always looked so dark and calculating, and his usual perceptive gaze gave off a sophisticated vibe that had intimidated many of the anti-fairy population. But… the closer she got, and the better she could see… she clearer she could read him.

Anti-Cosmo's hardened stare gave it all away. He couldn't withhold himself from her for much longer. He felt her slender fingers take a gentle hold of his hands with the string of beads intertwined between the two, and the way she fit so easily in his palms had struck a heavy blow to his racing heart. And as her forehead had pressed against his, as her dark curls twisted against Anti-Cosmo's unkempt hair like two waves from the ocean flowing together, Anti-Cosmo felt her unsteady breath right next to his as their lips were only inches away from each other.

Anti-Cosmo kept deathly still. He slowly blinked as his heavy eyes were almost entranced by her. Whilst Anti-Wanda curiously explored the depth of Anti-Cosmo's vacant eyes, Anti-Cosmo stayed frozen in her gentle grasp. For the first time, in all of the time that he's known her, Anti-Cosmo wondered silently to himself... if Anti-Wanda was his good fortune… or exactly the opposite…

I wonder… if the answer really matters… do I even care what you are…?

Anti-Wanda's blush suddenly flourished over her face as she slowly realised how incredibly intimate this was becoming. And it was the sound of Anti-Wanda's sudden intake of breath that had been the single instance to snap Anti-Cosmo back to reality.

Suddenly, their hands broke apart as they flinched away almost in synchronicity. Both of their faces were as red as a beetroot as the air around them grew hot and heavy. It took a moment for them both to find the right state of mind to say anything, and as Anti-Cosmo recognised his heartbeat slow down to a relatively even pace, he finally asked her with a cough to clear his throat,

"So… is that all you asked me over for? To give me good luck?"

Anti-Wanda tenderly held the amulet in her hands as she bashfully nodded.

"Um, yeah. I-I guess so."

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, Anti-Cosmo loudly burst into a fit of laughter. Anti-Wanda almost jumped out of her skin in surprise, and clutched at her frightened heart in her chest as she watched him in bewilderment. She certainly wasn't expecting that kind of reaction, especially after what had just occurred. Anti-Cosmo then wiped away his tears of laughter once he began to finally calm down, and looked over to her at his side with a wide fanged smile and a slight flush lingering over his face.

"Anti-Wanda… you truly do have a simple mind." He told her as she blinked in surprise, and once he saw her eyebrow raise in wonder, Anti-Cosmo commented further with a big grin, "Don't worry, it's endearing. You have many good qualities about you, Anti-Wanda. I hope you know that. I-It'll be beneficial… in our conquest for world domination, I mean."

"Oh! Well… thank you!" Anti-Wanda smiled in return as her blush hadn't cooled down at all, and her gentle gaze swapped from her amulet back to him, "I… um, if you're not in any hurry to go home, I can show you some more spells I've been working on! If you think they'll help you, then I'd, um…"

"Sure. Why not?" Anti-Cosmo shrugged as he pushed back all his reasons why he wanted to stay with her to the back of his mind, and bared his teeth into a sarcastic grin, "I'll put this down as extra-curricular studies. After all, I can't let you forget that I am officially your tutor, can I?"

As Anti-Cosmo rested an idle hand against his burning hot cheek, Anti-Wanda could only pout in response with a look of annoyance piercing right back at him,

"C'mon, do you have to? Now there's too much pressure on me if this turns out to be graded…"

Anti-Cosmo only laughed again, and Anti-Wanda sighed with irritation before she pulled out her wand to fill the air with an assortment of magical spells surrounding the both of them. And as Anti-Wanda busied herself to create the very best spells she could create, and as Anti-Cosmo commended her for trying her hardest just for him, there was a lingering heaviness that refused to leave the couple alone for the rest of the evening. And it refused to leave until they parted ways… many, many hours later.

Finally, the day had closed and the evening soon came. Anti-Cosmo decided to take a walk back to his dormitory, despite the darkness of the evening enveloping the streets with barely any working street lights to guide his way. However, Anti-Cosmo was able to easily convince himself that a walk wouldn't be a bad idea, and he refused to believe that this had anything to do with the girl he had spent his entire day with.

But, the further he walked, the colder the air had become. Somehow, the idea of a walk was wearing thin, but Anti-Cosmo was adamant that it was just his imagination getting the better of him. As he refused to give in to his growing fear, Anti-Cosmo powered through the night with his hand firmly grasping his wand in his pocket.

And, almost immediately afterwards, he recognised a familiar rustle of leaves sound a little up ahead of his path. His sharp eyes quickly met up with the noise, and with a swift flick of his arm, he drew out his wand and pointed it promptly in the direction of a silhouette suddenly standing overhead. Anti-Cosmo's intimidating magical power crackled around his arm and shot over his entire figure as he was more than ready to strike down whoever was in his way. But, he gradually lowered his wand as he finally recognised who it was.

"Oh. Anti-Cupid." He voiced quietly, and withdrew his wand as his shoulders fell along with his guard, "I would have thought you'd be home by now. What're you doing out so late?"

Anti-Cupid was as unmoving as a statue. His frozen glare exuberated his silent fury as his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Anti-Cosmo squinted his eyes in suspicion, and before he could ask what was wrong, Anti-Cupid lowered his head and his voice, and his eyes grew incredibly dark as he suddenly warned him,

"Don't get in my way."

"Wh-what? What are you talking about?" Anti-Cosmo was immediately flustered. As soon as he figured out that Anti-Cupid must have known what had happened that day, Anti-Cosmo began to sweat under the pressure as he felt that defending himself was becoming even more difficult. Then he waved a dismissive hand at Anti-Cupid as Anti-Cosmo looked up to the stormy skies, and struggled to respond confidently, "Do... do you mean… Anti-Wanda and I? Again? Y-you're becoming too obsessed with the notion, Anti-Cupid. Honestly, th-there's absolutely nothing going… on…"

Then, as he returned his gaze back to where Anti-Cupid stood, he was stopped in his tracks once he found that Anti-Cupid had suddenly vanished. Anti-Cosmo figured he must have left the very instant that Anti-Cosmo had torn his eyes away from him, and the cold breeze that brushed past him left behind an ominous feeling of another presence silently watching him.

And as the street lamps flickered on and off in the darkness, Anti-Cosmo continued his walk home, unnerved and confused.

Chapter Four End. Chapter Five on the way soon…