AUDREY
Youth is the thing we value most. The prime of our lives, the best of our time. We are young, carefree and just about to enter the big wide world. We spend so many years of our lives learning as preparation for what's to come. But the best thing about youth is our discovery of love, feelings we've never met and the vulnerability that comes with it.
My mother always told me, 'to love is to dare' and that it was our job as Cupid to help them along the path and through the hardships; not that they need much help anyway since the urge to fall in love is biological. However, even though it's biological, research proves that it only takes four minutes to decide whether you love someone, even if you don't know them, this is where Cupid comes in.
Our job as Cupid is, yes to help them down the rocky road called love but to make sure they are making the right choice and not a disastrous mistake. A little too much? Yeah, I thought so. And my job right now, here at this moment, is to help Sebastian King, the guy sitting in front of me with the worst disguise I have ever seen.
By now it was midday and I was sitting in the apartment complex restaurant. The morning had been a long, painful one with Libby squealing and bouncing off the walls with excitement for the next stage of the plan.
"Why are you looking at me like I'm an alien from outer space?" He smiled, tapping his fake moustache down onto his lip to keep it from falling off.
"At this point, I actually am starting to believe you are," I retorted, "And besides, what's with the disguise, literally no one will care if you're seen with me." I chuckle, sipping my milkshake. His mouth hangs open, making me glance around the room in embarrassment.
"It's the student apartment block, people I know are going to see me. And besides, I think I look good." He comments, adjusting his circular glasses.
"Dude, you look like a Harry Potter who forgot to shave. Being seen with you is part of the plan anyway, don't think that I chose to be here." I whisper, trying to keep my voice down so that Libby (who is currently sitting beside me obviously staring at me through ridiculous binoculars) won't hear.
"Why not? Am I not fun enough for you?" He joked, throwing a smile to James, who currently sat across from Libby and looked at me with pity in his eyes.
I groaned, setting my forehead on the table. "You are all idiots. This is stupid." I whined, earning a chuckle and a soft pat on my head.
"It's okay Aud, it'll all be over soon. The plan was to have a meal with you in the apartment restaurant so that Rachel can see us, right?" He chuckled. I sat up and glared him in the eye. "What?" He asked.
"Yes, that is the plan. The plan is to be seen with Sebastian King, not Charlie Chaplin." I sneered, making him laugh and peel off the disguise.
"Okay, okay I get it. If we're to be seen together then try to enjoy it at least. I will do my utter best to make you smile." He smiled so brightly that the sun would be ashamed. However, this didn't make me feel any better, but he did buy me a milkshake.
"Seb, if you want her to smile then get her chocolates." Libby tipped, causing me to glare, and him to gasp like he found the meaning of life.
"I knew you'd be a chocolate girl, hold on a sec." He stood abruptly and walked out, causing Libby to take his place. I looked between Libby and James, one looked way too happy, the other looked abandoned.
"I wonder what he's doing. Anyway, how are you feeling about the meet up in a few weeks." She leaned close, keeping her voice quiet.
"I guess I feel fine. I mean, it's my uncle getting married not dinner with the Queen." I shrugged, once again sipping my delicious chocolate milkshake.
"You say it like it's the most common thing on Earth, it's your uncle getting married, that's huge! Isn't he marrying that girl he met on a business trip to Italy? I've read so many stories on this kind of thing, the rich man takes a trip to a foreign country, meets an innocent girl who is poor and common and then they fall in love." She coos, holding her clasped hands over her heart and staring off with a dreamy look in her eyes.
"You have read way too many fairy tales. She's actually the daughter of a mechanic. His car broke down in Italy and she had to fix it." I explain, earning a hand being almost thrusting into my face.
"Wait, she fixed it? Didn't her dad do the work?" She exclaimed, retrieving her hand.
"Girls aren't useless you know, actually they're pretty magnificent." James comments, giving Libby a stern look, he is a feminist after all.
The atmosphere was broken by a panting Sebastian, who ran in with a bag in his hands. It was at this perfect moment that Rachel and her friend walked in, going to a table near ours. Sebastian sat where Libby was sitting less than five seconds ago, and gently set the bag in front of me.
"Since you like chocolates, and apparently you'll smile if I get you them, I ran to the shop near here and got you some." He smiled sheepishly, looking nervous as I peered into the bag. At this, I could feel Rachel's glare, stabbing me. In the bag, were a whole bunch of chocolate bars, probably more than ten.
I rose my head from the bag, keeping my face as blank as possible for suspense, and also to make Rachel think we were going to have an argument. Slowly, but brightly, I smiled, a genuine smile. It felt strange, to smile after a long time. It felt like a reliever of some sort, but it was forced and it pained me to do it and made my cheeks hurt.
SEBASTIAN
She smiled. I could see it was forced, and it hurt meaning she hadn't smiled in a long time. Even then, she sat before me, with a bright smile. It made me curious about her past, what type of person she was, but that could wait because it was genuine. Her cheeks flushed with pink and the big smile made her look younger, more innocent, more beautiful.
"Thank you. Thank you very much, I appreciate it." She giggled. A twang of pain spread across my chest, in a bad way because I knew Rachel was near and she was doing it for the plan, in a good way because she was genuinely grateful (well, I hope) and I got to see her smile.
"Woah, she smiled." Libby gasped, holding her head in her hands, smiling widely, and deviously at us. I then looked at James who had a small smile, giving me a thumbs up, then back at Audrey who was blushing and staring at her lap.
"So, you can smile." I joked, trying to make her feel less awkward.
"Bugger off." She mumbled, avoiding eye contact and began staring at the window.
By the time I had gotten to my dorm outside of campus the sky had begun darkening, the stars popping out to say hello, and a small woman was waiting outside the apartment building.
"Sebastian. I need to talk to you." She whispered, begging me with her large eyes.
I looked around, only seeing a few other students roaming about. "What's wrong Rachel? Everything okay?"
"No. First, you tell me you have a girlfriend, then I only see her for the first time yesterday and now you're running a marathon to buy her chocolates?" She stammered. I gulped, fearing she had figured it out, that's it, I've been caught.
She looks at her feet for a while before meeting my gaze. "How much do you love her? Is she treating you right?" She asks, her gaze filled with concern.
"Of course, Rachel, she's amazing." I beamed, "I really like her, a lot."
She nods, turning away from me and leaving. After about five steps she turns abruptly, full of determination. "I'm not giving up yet." She stated, leaving me alone in front of the building.
The blare of my mobile pulls me out my thoughts, breaking the silence of the night.
'Hey Seb,
How are you feeling? You know, considering she won't give up and all. Anyway, I need you to accompany Audrey to school tomorrow, she'll drive. Spend the rest of the day with her after both of your lectures, you need to learn how to act like a couple and therefore you need to get to know each other. Oh, and alone, don't tell Audrey.
Be there 7 sharp
Libby'
I checked my phone repeatedly, standing outside her door. It was ten to seven before I knocked, chuckling when I hear a loud groan on the other side. The door swung open with an angry Audrey glaring at me. She pulled me in and closed the door behind me, leaving a moment of silence before erupting.
"What are you doing here? And at seven? That is too early in the day, I have no energy whatsoever to actually look at a person never mind talk to one." She growled, her petite frame making it comical.
"I'm here to take you to school and hang out afterwards. I think we should get to know each other better so that we act like a more believable couple." I smile shyly, hoping she'll go with it.
"Libby put you up to this didn't she." She accused, going to the kitchen counter to take a gulp of her forgotten coffee.
"How did you know?" I asked, surprised, taking a seat on the other side.
"I've known Libby for, God knows how long, this is the type of the thing she'd do." She explains, rolling her eyes.
"Well, what do you think?" I ask, hoping she'd say yes.
"Whatever, it's for the plan. It'll help Libby out anyway." She mumbles, shuffling over to the sofa and draping herself across it like a lazy feline. After noticing me staring at her for a while she groans, "What?" she grunted, passing me one of her glares.
"So, uh. Are you gonna go to university dressed like that? I mean, I don't have a problem with it, in fact, I kinda envy you right now but I don't think the professors will approve." I chuckle, taking a seat across from her and placing a bag with a chocolate filled croissant and a coffee on the table.
"I don't know," she mumbles, turning and sitting upright, "What's this?"
"A peace offering. Your breakfast, or at least a part of it, an apology for waking you up and a thank you." I list, counting them on my fingers. I anxiously await her reaction, seeing the edge of her lips curve up.
"Thanks, you don't need to keep thanking us, and you didn't wake me up." She beamed, taking a sip of the coffee.
"I didn't wake you? Uni doesn't start until ten today so I was confused as to why Libby told me to come at seven." I queried.
"She probably thought I was lonely or something. I have insomnia, I don't really get much sleep, on top of that I do work for the company at night and that usually carries into the early morning." She shrugs, taking a bit from the croissant.
"You have insomnia? Have you tried sleeping pills?" I ask.
"No. My parents don't allow us to take sleeping pills, they're suspicious of them and say they're bad for us. I think they're just trying to protect their lineage," she chuckles, "Have you had breakfast?" She walks to the kitchen throwing out the coffee cup and the paper bag.
"Not really, I rushed to a nearby cafe to get you those, I guess I wasn't thinking about myself." I chuckle, scratching the back of my neck, earning a huff from Audrey.
"You fine with eggs and bacon?" She calls, opening the fridge.
"Eggs and bacon? Of course! I haven't had them in ages. The family maid would make them for me all the time, they were my favourite for breakfast. My mother would always shake her head every time I asked because it was so frequent." I laugh, feeling nostalgic.
After a while, she returns with a plate of toast, bacon and eggs. Thanking her, I began to eat, laughing when she put on a Harry Potter movie. She then began to get ready as I waited patiently, eating and watching the movie, awaiting her return.