Wanted Perfection

Perfection.

If you look it up in the dictionary, it says that it is the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.

Some may call it a description of the gods, deity, or whatever religious excellence you will refer it to for they have no flaws or imperfection.

Perfection is also a state of being saintly, overall excellent. One that exceeds all expectations.

All in all, perfection is what you call, well, impossible.

There is no such thing as perfection. It is by nature's law that a flaw is present in everything there is. Breathing or non-breathing. That perfection is just a dream. An unreachable dream.

But what if, perfection, suddenly decided it was bored being just a dream and took form?

What if, perfection, decided to walk among humans and prove that it exist?

What if, perfection, decided to play among mortals and appear in front of you?

What if, Perfection, is right in front of you?

Will Perfection still be perfect? Or will the fact that it is impossible for perfection to exist?

What if Perfection, took form, and decided to be called...

Elise Hailey Watson was fed up with all the men giving her roses and chocolates. It was February 14th, Valentine's day, and as per tradition, men have been giving flowers or sweets to those they adore. And Elise's was no exception.

"Please take this Elise, as a sign of my undying devotion."

Elise looked at another bold suitor who has a hopeful look on his face. He was the tenth one who offered her a bouquet of flowers and it seems that there are others who are planning the same. Seeing men practically spilling their hearts out to her makes her wonder what happened after she graduated highschool and entered college. Why the male population suddenly decided to pin on her. As far as she remembers, she was the geeky kid and one of the victims of the campus bullies. She caught sight of her reflection from the suitor's glasses, and again, answered her mental question.

During elementary and highschool, Elise was never the popular girl due to her looks. Sure she's smarter than her peers, was even told she can go straight to college if she were serious enough with her studies, but in the looks department, there's where her problem lies. Her mahogany colored hair was bushy to the point of even her own brush was giving up on it. Her eyes were always hidden behind thick-rimmed glasses because she has problems with her eyesight and the lens were thick that her chocolate brown colored eyes looked too big than normal. Then her face, though blemish free, were chubby, and so does her body.

Then everything changed over the summer before entering college.

Her cousin, Octavia Black, dragged her out of her room one day and told that they will have a makeover. It was more of 'my mom will kill me if we don't bond' dragging than 'you need to get out for sun' dragging. So after a whole day of shopping, salon, spa, and goddess of beauty knows what else, Elise's physical appearance changed.

Elise's bushy hair has been tamed; straighter and shinier too. There are a few waves here and there but it looked far more beautiful than before. She felt like her head lost some weight when her hair was tamed.

Next was the glasses. Elise's glasses have been discarded – no scratch that – her glasses have been broken by Octavia in two and dumped in the trash and informed her that she needs some more fashionable eyewear. Elise told her cousin that she would not wear any contacts, fearing the process of putting them on and even disgusted in touching her eyeball. With that, Octavia opted for a more fashionable looking glasses and thinner lenses. And added that the said style will bring out her chocolate brown colored eyes more.

Then, her clothing. Octavia practically went through Elise's closet and took all of her clothes. All of it. From her sweaters to her loose shirts, her baggy pants to her basketball shorts, the dark-brown haired woman with green eyes took all of her clothes and threw it to the bon fire that Octavia made at their backyard. It was like a scene in the movies where the girl cries out loud while something precious to them was burning and slowly turning to ash because of an accident. But what happened was not an accident and the fact that her aunt Trixie, Octavia's mom, second her cousin's decision. Then after the whole fire and clothing, Octavia dumped a new set of clothes to her which she can only describe as 'too girly'. Naming dresses, figure-showing clothing, and even skinny jeans. There were heels too, which she discarded and was glad that her sneakers were unharmed.

Lastly, Elise was abducted by some burly men and forced her to exercise. She already has an idea who planned the abduction and she can bet that her mom's in to the whole thing as well. So with three weeks being forced to run, lift, stretch, and other bodily activities, all of her body fats were burned. Octavia and her aunt Trixie –the one who orchestrated the whole body punishment– approved of her new look. Well Octavia hummed and licked her lips and complimented how sexy she looks.

So with those changes, college has been heaven and hell to Elise. Heaven in terms of people finally stopped bullying her and she was recognized not just the brains, but also a beauty. Not that she cares about the beauty part. Then hell because men have been pinning on her non-stop. It even took her cousins, Octavia and Claire Lune, to act as bouncers and made sure none of those boys were to touch her without her consent. Claire, Elise's cousin from her father's side, was gentler in dealing with the suitors while Octavia, being the rebellious girl she is, made sure to impose the rule 'touch her and your dick says bye-bye' very openly.

And at the said moment, a college senior and taking up fine arts, all Elise wanted was to run away and hide in her dorm to avoid the suitors. Of course she tried hiding, but since the whole campus knows she lives in the dorms and by the power of the unholy one her suitors got a hold of her dorm room number, she was still being bugged by them. Octavia declared that they should just attend class, stating that somehow it would thin down the hounding suitors, and Claire airily agreed to it. But still, a suitor will come popping out of nowhere and offering her sweet words and sweet things.

"Elise?" The suitor asked out loud, snapping the brunette out of her reverie.

"Oh! Sorry about that. Uhm?" Elise was unsure what name of the guy offering her flowers.

"Zeke."

"Oh yes Zeke! I'm sorry. I appreciate your effort but I would-"

Octavia pushed Elise gently towards Claire and faced Zeke with an annoyed look. And an annoyed Octavia means another tongue-lashing session. She was about to open her lips when another guy dressed in a football uniform stood between her and Zeke.

"Octavia." The brawny football player said, eyed Octavia warily. He stood taller than the fiery brunette, around 6'3 in height, and obstructed the view of Octavia to Zeke.

The fiery woman looked at the football player and scrunched her nose. "Move Rick. I need to tell this spud, all of these spuds, that my cousin doesn't want any of them!" Octavia growled at Rick. "They have bothered me and my cousins since morning!"

Rick shook his head and reach down to grab Octavia by the hips and pulled her up and draped her on his shoulders. "Let's go." He grunted.

Octavia screamed and struggled, but he kept his hold on the feisty woman and approached Elise and Claire.

Elise smiled at Rick when the burly man stood before her. "Thanks Rick. Odin knows how Octavia will slaughter the poor boy if you didn't stop her," She joked.

"I heard that Watson!" Octavia retorted, looking at Elise and Claire with a murderous look. But even before she could move, Rick adjusted his hold over her and again, she slumped down on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Drop me down Rick or else no fun time for little Ricky tonight!" She shouted again, pounding on Rick's back with her balled fists.

Claire and Elise giggled at the scene while Rick grinned.

"So-" Elise called the attention of her cousins and Rick. "Want some coffee? Octavia's having her withdrawals and we don't want her murdering someone for Valentines and offering their innards to you Rick." To prove her point, she jabbed her thumb to the direction of Octavia's who was still having a tantrum and shouting how she will gut someone if she wasn't put down on the ground.

With everyone agreeing, Octavia not included, they all headed to the nearest coffee shop to have their fill of caffeine.

On their way to the campus gates, they passed by the College of Conservatory building. The rooms in the said building are all sound proof therefore they couldn't hear any sounds from it. It was designed as such to avoid clashing of music with each classroom. With such design, they passed by the building without even noticing it.

Until Elise heard a solemn melody. A melody coming from a piano. She stopped and looked at where the music was coming from, at the same time thinking where she have heard the music before. The sound was familiar and the name was by the tip of her tongue.

Looking around, she saw an open window by the Conservatory building and she was about to go towards it but Claire pulled her away and told her that she would be left behind and Octavia will throw another fit if they won't get the coffee.

On their way to the coffee shop, Octavia still on Rick's shoulders even after changing to his normal clothes which is a t-shirt, black pants and a pair of Jordan 22 shoes, Elise unconsciously hummed the music she heard from the Conservatory building. Claire, noticing that Elise has a smile on her face, snapped her fingers in front of her cousin's face. "Hey..." She whispered. Elise stopped humming and looked at her with a confused expression. "You have been smiling like you have seen a panda and humming 'Hanging Tree' again and again. Not really a good combination you know."

Elise blinked and finally it clicked. The music she heard earlier, the one she's been humming and replaying in her mind, is the song from the Hunger Games movie. The song called 'Hanging Tree'. Smiling while humming the song was indeed a bad combination. "I'm sorry. I heard it earlier and I guess it's stuck in my head," she apologized, but the smile remained on her face. Claire nodded and told her that they should hurry to the coffee shop before Octavia escapes Rick's grasp and unleash a hellish fit again.

On the way to the coffee shop, the music kept on replaying on Elise's head and she once again hummed while smiling.

"Hi! Welcome to Kars Koffee!" The crew of the coffee shop greeted the new comers. The four ignored the staff and went inside to look for a table. Inside, they ignored the stares they got when the patrons and new customers saw Octavia being carried by Rick like some freshly cut meat, Claire smiling at no one, and Elise humming happily and not a care in her surroundings.

The melody kept on playing in Elise's head and she was certain that her smile will not falter because of it.