#moodcake

You laughed with glee. You could hardly believe the boy who spent hours reading textbooks would ever spend time reading fiction, let alone a romance novel.

You opened the book, a bright smile on your face as you moved swiftly away from him. Tom always annotated books and his habits carried over here with neatly underlined passages and bookmarked pages.

Scrawls that said “buy y/n flowers”, “compliment her and notice her hair or clothes“, “ask her about her latest crochet project”. Of course he was doing research: how to be a good boyfriend, how to keep you.

“We should start a book club! This is fantastic, Tom! I could tell you all about—“ you stopped when you saw his horrified expression. “I love that you’re doing this,” you spoke softly and beamed. His eyes softened.

“Now I’m going to have to punish you, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he said sternly as he strode over to you. Anticipation fluttered in your stomach.

“Worth it,” you grinned.

When it was finally your turn, the attendant dressed in a grim reaper costume announced the minimum for the attraction was two. When they called for another individual in line, you were fine with settling for a stranger as long as you got to experience the spooky thrills ahead. Except you recognized the boy with the curly hair and smug smile as he approached. It was your rival, Mattheo Riddle.

“Fancy seeing you here, partner,” he said sarcastically. Of course he had known you’d be there, it was all you could talk about the entire week.

“Just don’t slow me down,” you narrowed your eyes and accepted your fate as you walked past the door.

“Bet I could escape faster than you. Do try to keep up,” he taunted because of course, everything had to be a competition with him.

“We’ll see about that,” you smirked. You felt quite confident having played multiple games that included puzzles and required strategy.

When you entered the first room, you inspected everything. Turning items over and opening cabinets to look for clues. You each searched half of the room, collecting items that seemed significant and piecing them together.

You solved the first clue faster than expected and were ready to advance to the next room when the lights turned off. You yelped and instinctively grabbed Mattheo who held a protective arm around you.

He backed you into wall beside you, shielding you with his body. You felt his hot breath against your forehead and it sent delicious jolts of electricity through you. Bodies pressed together, you could feel his heartbeat drumming quickly, matching yours. You reminded yourself to stay focused.

When the lights flickered on again, you both made a run for it, hand in hand. You inspected the next room and just as you opened the cabinet, a headless body fell out. You jumped back and screamed.

Within seconds Mattheo was beside you, alert for any threats. When he saw the headless body, which turned out to be a mannequin, he laughed. Just as he was about to open his mouth to tease you, a hand closed around his leg.

It was his turn to yelp and jump back. A woman in a white gown with long hair crept away from where she hid and scurried off the opposite side of the room. It was your turn to tease him and talk about instant karma.

“Let’s just get out of here,” he huffed. Surprisingly, you both figured out the lock’s combination numbers quickly after solving clues, and moved to the next door. You hated to admit it, but you both worked well together.

As you moved to the next door, the lights switched off once again. Breaths held, looking cautiously around, Mattheo moved you behind him protectively.

You were about to argue how you could protect yourself when up ahead, you heard the zap of electricity. It was accompanied by a blue electric current illuminating a scary face. The effects were so convincing, you had to remind yourself it was just a fake taser and a mask.

Mattheo, however, let his instincts take over. He was always going to choose fight over flight. In the next second, you heard the impact of fists and the taser clattered on the ground. Red lights flooded the room as the warning sound blared through the speakers.

A security guard charged in, hauling away the scare actor from the frenzied boy. When you had a chance, you wrapped your arms around Mattheo to stop him. He melted under your touch and the fight went out of him. He was shocked how nice and comfortable it felt to be held by you.

You got kicked out the horror escape room.

“Well, that’s one way to escape,” you remarked, looking back at the attraction as you walked away.

“I’m creative like that, darling. Told you I could get us out faster,” he winked at you.

“That was not a complime-”

Before you could complete your sentence, he sidled up beside you, lowering his lips to your ear. “The next time you want to hold me like that back there, just tell me directly. No need for excuses, I can keep a secret.”

What’s more is that the songs were not just curated but rather created for you. These were lyrics and melodies you couldn’t go out and stream on music platforms nor buy CDs for.

And yet for something that seemed so legendary, it looked just like any record store. The storefront was made with oak once bold and dark, now faded with time. And yet it gleamed where the sun hit it just so, showing off its carefully applied polish.

Past the large window, rows upon rows of vinyls were stacked neatly on shelves. Each album cover had an intriguing design. Different art styles fought for your attention, each with a story to tell.

Beyond the shelves stood cozy listening booths with dark leather seats, still proud and elegant as they had been in their early days. No less worn by the thousands of souls that have sat and listened to their perfect playlist.

The establishment had been so hard to find that most of its customers are those who stumble upon it by accident. Even rarer are those who managed to find its location in the intersection where angels last laughed and where a powerful witch dropped her earring. For it was never in the same place.

And somehow, you and Mattheo Riddle were standing right in front of it. “Surprise!” Mattheo said, motioning to the store. A sophisticated script spelled The Perfect Playlist on the door. You could hardly believe it.

“Who did you have to torture this information from?” You asked, eyeing your boyfriend suspiciously.

“This was through honest research this time,” he smiled proudly.

“You researched it?” You quirked an eyebrow.

“The important thing is we’re here now,” he said, deflecting. “Aren’t I the best?” He took your hand and started walking to the entrance. “You sure are something,” you grinned excitedly as you let him lead the way.

“Now let’s enjoy this once in a lifetime experience!” He said. And it was quite literal for you could only visit once, but it was all you’ll ever need.

The attendant greeted you brightly and he seemed to already know your names. He too, seemed quite ordinary in a shirt and trousers. But that was the last thing that would underwhelm you about this place, for it was never about the store or the beings inside it. It was all about The Perfect Playlist.

He beamed, “The love birds, your booth is ready. Right this way.” He led you to one of the listening booths with its wooden door leading to the cozy leather seat that sunk low when you sat. “Simply put on your headphones, press play when you’re ready, and let the music carry you away. It’s The Perfect Playlist for your relationship.”

He smiled brightly as he closed the door and returned to the counter. Mattheo tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear and placed the headphones on you. You watched his long lashes flutter and still blushed at his proximity even after all this time.

He then put on his headphones and looked at you to confirm you were ready. You smiled and held a thumbs up and so he pressed play.

A faint rhythm started in your ears, a beat that seemed to grow louder by the second. You closed your eyes to listen more carefully until a bright light took over the darkness, the upbeat music now loud enough for you to feel the bass in your headphones until you found your head bopping to the beat.

You may have never heard the song The Perfect Playlist created for you, but you felt the rush of excitement. It was like hearing a great song you haven’t heard in ages, both new and familiar at the same time.

As the beat picked up, bright colors danced along with its rhythm, swirling together until it formed shapes that resembled a music festival. Ahead of you, a DJ onstage hyped up the crowd with the song you were listening to.

Your friends were laughing around you and you were dancing with them, having the time of your life. Of course, this was where you first met Mattheo all those years ago.

Even in a crowded place where people danced and sang their hearts out, you stood out to him. To him, you were sunshine personified. He pretended to bump into you that day, knocking your drink out of your hand so he could buy you one.

You could almost laugh at how the world went in slow motion, the perfect soundtrack softening to something romantic as you introduced yourselves and the sparks flew instantly. It didn’t take long until you were dancing the night away, the playlist back to an upbeat song you could dance to forever.

Then there were long drives and motorcycle rides when you both wanted more speed and danger. Late night talks under the stars, huddled beneath blankets that always led to something more.

That was only the beginning. The Perfect Playlist still had albums worth of songs to play as you relived all your wonderful memories with Mattheo Riddle.

Every couple of days, when you borrowed a new book from the library, a slip of paper always fell. You had even grown to anticipate these slices of heaven that made your stomach do cartwheels:

“You’re so gorgeous. I can’t say anything to your face, ‘cause look at your face.”

“What must it be like to grow up that beautiful, with your hair falling into place like dominoes?”

“All of this silence and patience, pining in anticipation. My hands are shaking from holding back from you.”

If you had carefully thought back, you’d remember that encounter during your first week of university when you reached for a book at the same time as a handsome stranger. He introduced himself as Theodore Nott.

You let him have the book. You had already read it and it was one of your favourites. It was his too. He smiled at you then and he knew nothing would ever be the same again.

It was the first time he felt this way about anyone and he didn’t know what to do. But he would send you notes while he figured it out. Time was ticking and soon he would start the clock to forever. Because as the song went, all at once, you were all he had been waiting for.