Cupid's Arrow

Chapter 5: The date

Chapter 5

The date

“Aimme, please!” Lily begged me for a thousand times. “Leave them alone!”

Ruth, Kate’s friend, had spread the rumor that Kate would go on a date with a hot, older guy and I wanted to be there. The hot, older guy was of course Dave. Ruth wasn’t referring at their first date, outside the café, though. I didn’t manage to watch them on that date thanks to a thirty-minute-long speech by Lily on why I shouldn’t do it and my new Math assignment. My intention now was not to loose at least their second date. I just wanted to check if they’re going well.

“Do you believe that they would go on a second date if things didn’t go well? Come around, Aimee!” Lily insisted.

“I just want to make it sure.” I sighed.

“This is sick! You can’t stalk people! What kind of obsession you have? Stop even thinking about it!”

“I will stop as soon as I’m sure that they’re fine.” I wouldn’t give up this time.

“For Christ’s sake!” she got upset, “You said that they’re so in love with each other, so why they wouldn’t be fine? Aimee, please! Let’s do something else.” she pleaded again.

“Look. I’ve already missed the first date. They might need my help. I have to protect them.” I was calm. “Besides, you’re not obligated to come if you don’t want to.”

“It’s not about me. It’s about you. What’s wrong? You’re going nuts!”

She was right. I was going nuts. I had no idea what was happening to me. I had done a terrible mistake and I was out of control. What was happening with me? The whole situation had driven me crazy. Why?

Then, I realized that I was still in shock. A continuous shock. That mistake affected me more than I was aware. I couldn’t get over it because I didn’t stop thinking about it. Not at all. I was trying to keep myself distracted by their strong emotions as a part of my recovery, but it didn’t work. As much as fascinating their love was I couldn’t weather the storm.

“I promise that this is going to be the last time I ‘m following them. Please, stop preaching.” suddenly I felt tired.

Lily sighed deeply. She knew I was determined.

I made sure to get more details about the date, like when and where, and Ruth made it so easy. I went to have a casual talk with her and she spited everything out. She was so excited about her friend.

Furthermore, I got to know more details about David. He was twenty five years old and a music producer. He had produced two albums for some young artists already and he would go back in studio to produce a third one on summer. He had a younger sister and they were introduced to the world of music by both of their parents. Ruth also added that Dave was born and raised in London. Lucky Kate!

“Well, at least I have to admit that you chose a really good partner for Kate, even though your choice was quite random.” Lily came with me at that last stalking. She had claimed that she would do it to control me.

We were at the casual, modern restaurant that Ruth had told me and we were waiting for the lovebirds to appear. Our table was at the right corner of the room and that would help us not to draw any attention. Besides, there was no need to hear what they would say. Not anymore. Their feelings were quite enough. After that date I should find another way to deal with the consequences of my mistake.

A little time had passed when Kathryn and David stepped into the restaurant. They were both glowing.

A huge wave of young love rushed into my body. It felt so good. Their emotions were quite therapeutic to me by the time.

Kate and Dave sat two tables away from us, next to the huge window, hulked in the middle of the claret wall. Fortunately, Kate didn’t notice us. Actually, she was too busy to notice anything else than Dave.

I was trying to look uninterested and just throw some small stares to them, but I couldn’t control it. In fact, I caught myself several times staring at them with wide open eyes and a silly smile on my face. As soon as Lily was noticing that, she was kicking my leg gently under the table. Feeling their love all over the place was amusing to me, but watching them too was even more irresistible.

Once, Dave leaned his body forward, over the table. So Kate did. His lips softly touched hers. That was their very first kiss. And I was present at this outstanding moment, a few feet away, sobbing.

It was spectacular. That was magic!

I had never felt so delighted before. I was so proud. Only true love could be sealed with a kiss like that. At that point, I felt their emotions even more intense than any other time. A billion butterflies were fluttering about not only her belly, but every cell of her body. His pulse became faster and erratic. My heart was ready to explode.

“I think that’s enough.” Lily smiled at me. “Let’s go home.”

“It is fascinating!” I muttered, dizzy.

“C’mon, Aimee.” she demanded in a gentle voice. It was obvious that Lily could also feel the electric atmosphere.

We paid the bill and left the restaurant quietly.

“Did you notice that I didn’t complain at all?” I asked when we were finally out.

“Wow! You’re right! Well done! You’re actually making progress.” she teased me. “I also noticed that you haven’t stopped smiling.”

“Oh, it was so beautiful.” I breathed.

“C’mon, Dave! Answer it!” I heard a female voice begging.

I froze. The girl who had passed by us must have been David’s long-time girlfriend. Or David’s ex-girlfriend.

Her broken heart was aching. Dave had broken up with her a week ago or so. Her inner wound was quite fresh, still bleeding.  It was heartbreaking.

I was torn. All the regret and pain that I managed to ease a few minutes ago came right back more intense. What had I done? Guilt weighed my consciousness once more. 

“Wait!” I almost yelled at her.

“What are you doing?” Lily whispered to me.

She was heading at the direction where the restaurant was. Seeing Dave with another girl would kill her. That pain couldn’t be compared with what she had already dealt with. I should prevent that. I had made her suffer enough by the moment. She didn’t deserve to ache even more.

“Excuse me!” I yelled at her. “Can you hear me? Miss?” I insisted.

The girl finally turned. “What?” she was a bit rude.

I took a short moment to look upon her. She was slightly taller than me. She had long straight raven hair and fair skin. Her face was deadpan. What got me by surprise was her age. She was around twenty eight. Or she just seemed to look like twenty eight.

“Um. You dropped something.” I replied.

She looked at the cell phone she was holding tightly. “I don’t think so.”

My mind had stopped working. I couldn’t think what to say to make her change her direction.

“Can you check your pockets? I’m sure that something has fallen.” That was stupid. I couldn’t chew more time like that until I could find something better.

Lily was standing next to me a bit surprised. Obviously, she had no idea who that woman was or what I was trying to do. She surely noticed that I was acting weird, though.

The woman’s cell phone rank. She turned her back to us without saying anything else and kept walking. I heard her say “Yes. It’s Caroline.” So that was her name.

Caroline crossed on the other side of the street before she reached the restaurant. I sighed in relief.

“Explain what that was?” Lily demanded. “Clearly, she had dropped nothing!”