How to love a devil

going to

Only 15 seconds left, and the opposing team has won, which doesn't look good for us. Edgar pushes me aside just in time as Penny's cannonball whizzes past us.

Man, that was close!

"Colette, I know this isn't the right time for a conversation," Edgar wants to start as we're attacked by Carl's pickaxe!

"Not at all!" I confirm and fire back. "Go on!"

"Okay..." Edgar says uncertainly.

"Come on now!" I reply as I dodge Carl's and Penny's attacks.

Suddenly the enemy team's rate of gems drops - and ours increases! Jessie must have managed to defeat Jacky!

"I wanted to ask you if you would like to..." Edgar tries for what feels like the 100th time, but then Jessie comes running through the bushes, she only has very little energy left and the mud lasts another 10 seconds!!!

"Wait a minute!" I call out to him, activate my super skill, defeat Penny, and come back.

Edgar is currently shielding Jessie from further attacks.

"Well, if you want to come with me to..." A drill sounds behind you!

Come on! This cannot be true!

A loud vibration knocks Edgar into the bushes; apparently Jacky has activated her super skill. While Edgar fights with her, Carl manages to defeat Jessie! However, before he can even touch the jewels, I open fire and finish him off!

With 13 jewels in my luggage, I flee behind the first wall I come across. Someone jumps over my head! I duck, but it's just Edgar. He resolutely takes my hands and pulls me into the nearest bushes.

"Are you going to the Christmas party at the gift shop with me?" The words come out of his mouth so quickly that no interruption in the world would have stood a chance!

I'm about to answer when a wild tornado hits the bushes. No, not a tornado, Carl!

Crap, crap, crap! It won't be long before I'm finished!!!

At exactly this second the match is over! We won, just at the last moment, but with 15 to 4! We are immediately enveloped by our bubbles, which transport us to the winner's podium. I happily turn around with my book, high five with star player Jessie and then look to Edgar.

"Yes!" I answer, a little out of breath. "I wouldn't rather go with anyone than you!"

Edgar smiles at me and kisses my forehead.

---

And that was the last one! Phew, done! Finally, everything is settled!

I look dreamily at the newly organized shelves and then at the clock.

What, so late?! Hurry up now! The gift shop should have been closed long ago and I still have an appointment to study...

In no time at all I rush through the Christmas-decorated store, collect my things, shut down the computer, lock it and rush out of Star Park towards school.

I arrive at the library, out of breath, where Max is already waiting for me.

"There you are, Colette! Let me guess... you either missed the time or ran into a Brawler on the way in."

"The former." I answer, gasping for air. I really don't understand how Max can run for so long without ever running out of breath - she's just unbelievable.

At the same time, it is incredible how long it can take her to understand simple things like setting up a gadget, the Pythagorean theorem, the eating behaviour of Venus flytraps and the correlation coefficient.

That, or I'm just a fanatic nerd... Which is more likely the case.

After four hours we prepared for the melee and glyph interpretation tests and went through the vegetation on all the maps (that have vegetation, otherwise it would be pointless) for Plant Lore. Exhausted, Max sinks into one of the cozy sofas and admittedly: my brain also feels like mud! Groaning, I sit down next to her.

"So, what did you say to the emo boy?" Max suddenly asks me.

"Answered what?"

"Well, to his question?"

"A-to what question?" I open my eyes in surprise and blink a few times. Apparently it worked, because Max looks at me puzzled.

"Well, when asked if – stop! Hasn't he asked you yet?!"

"What hasn't he asked me yet?" This time I make a special effort to look amazed and clueless. I watch with inner satisfaction as my attempts pay off, as Max begins to shift restlessly back and forth on the sofa.

"Uh... nothing, it's not really important at all and... well, maybe he'll ask you... er, I mean, what should he ask you... um, no, or maybe... NO, I mean..."

But then I burst out laughing so hard that I fell off the sofa laughing!

And I thought MY stuttering problems were bad...

"Oh Max, I'm just kidding you! Edgar asked me yesterday and I said yes!"

"Oh, wait," laughs the future superhero, grabs a pillow from the sofa and throws it at me. In no time we're in the middle of a wonderful pillow fight that would probably have lasted forever if we hadn't had to hide from the librarian.

Later on, the way home, a question pops into my head that won't let me go.

"Tell me Max, who are you going with?"

"With no one. My sister and my brother are currently abroad, Jacky is already going with Carl, you are already going with Edgar and Surge is too old for me," she replies briefly.

Oh dear, I hope I didn't make her sad.

Great Colette! Because you just can't keep your mouth shut!!!

"Hey, you can still dance with me if you want," I try to encourage her.

"Thanks Col, I just don't know if I want to go without a date."

"...Or maybe I can get you one. You know, I'm very familiar with all the Brawlers and the Star Park team, which would represent a considerable pool of candidates."

Hello?! What am I saying??? I am completely unsuitable as a matchmaker!!!

"Well...at least it's a try and it can't do any harm."

Great. Just Great. I am so going to need help with this. Let's see how quickly I can reach Amber...

"Well then, fire away! What should the person be like? Look? Character traits? Any preferences?"

Colette?!

What? The more information, the better, right? After all, I wasn't lying about being an absolute brawler expert!