The day Emma had been dreading had finally arrived. Taylor had taken over her apartment with Linda's help. They'd been determined to transform Emma into a moderate looking swan. Lucy had come past just as the radio hosts arrived and she had yet to get over the shock of Emma's plans for the evening.
"I can't believe you're going to Quick Date," said Lucy, still looking baffled by the news.
Emma rolled her eyes. "How has everyone heard of this event except for me?"
"You don't go out enough in the real world," answered Lucy.
Emma gasped. "Lucy!" she chastised.
Her best friend simply shrugged. "It's true Em. Why do you think I'm supporting this ridiculous game? You need to live a bit more and finally move on from Eamon."
Emma pouted. "I thought you liked him."
"Oh, I do. He's easy on the eyes and a perfect gentleman. His family has wealth and class. He treats women well."
"But..."
"But," Lucy said loudly. "I don't believe that's the right type of man for you. You need someone who excites you. I'm not sure Eamon does that for you."
Emma frowned and mulled over her words. She glanced ashamedly at Lucy "Do you think I'm boring?"
Lucy laughed. "Oh, you know you are anything but boring. I just meant that you need someone on your level." Lucy moved off the bed and waddled towards Emma. She placed a swollen hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm saying Eamon is too boring for you."
Emma shook her head. "Larissa is more exciting than me. Why is she with him?"
Taylor, Linda, and Lucy rolled their eyes. "Have you watched their relationship?" Lucy asked.
Emma scoffed and said, "it's all I do."
"No," Lucy shook her head. "I mean really watch, not just ogle Eamon." Emma shook her head and Lucy sighed. "Figures. If you paid attention to them, you'd see the cracks. Eamon has a reputation to uphold and Larissa helps. As outdated as it sounds, Eamon needs a trophy wife. Now, you are beautiful Emma, don't think differently."
"Just not Larissa beautiful," she finished with a frown.
Lucy smacked her on the shoulder. "That's not what I mean. Larissa is stunning and she has qualities some men want. So do you. What Larissa has that you don't, is a submissive personality."
Emma's brows seemed to furrow deeper. "So she's a loyal pet who rolls over for him?" She snorted at the idea. If anything, Emma was all that for Larissa. She never could speak her mind. Larissa controlled a room and she definitely knew how to control their parents. Submissive just didn't fit. "My sister isn't submissive. She loves being in control."
"It's different with you," answered Lucy. She moved away from Emma and sat back down on her thick mattress. "Her relationship with you is all about jealousy. She's got to feel better than you and having Eamon helps. She'll be anything he needs her to be, just as long as she has him and not you. What Eamon needs it to control what his partner to avoid embarrassment. He knows you aren't like that."
"I could be," she mumbled.
This time, Taylor and Linda smacked her shoulders. "You don't." admonished Linda. "Trust me, you don't want to be in a relationship where you're controlled. You lose your identity and no amount of money makes it better."
"You aren't like that. It's what makes you a better person." whispered Lucy. "You won't sit back and allow a man to dictate your life just for money."
Emma slumped in her seat. Ahead of her was a vanity mirror. Emma stared critically at her reflection. She couldn't stop her mind from making comparisons. Her face was rounder than Larissa's and darker. Emma's hair was wilder versus her sisters' straighter and polished look. Emma had tiny bumps of acne hidden across her hairline but Larissa, was flawless. They were complete opposites.
She looked away. Behind her stood three different women, each prettier than her in different ways. They were all lighter than she with better hair and body shapes. Emma stared at Taylor, concentrating on how glamorous she looked dressed in a tight black dress that cut off just shy of her rear end. Her fiery hair was curled lightly around her oval face. Her make-up was done to highlight her natural features rather than to create new ones. How was Emma supposed to go to a dating event and compete against Taylor? None of her dates would want her if she was next to Taylor.
She sighed and hung her head. "I don't compare. That's the issue isn't it?"
Lucy gasped. "No Emma, you have it wrong. Larissa doesn't compare to you. You're the catch. You're the beautiful one, inside and out. Any man would be lucky to have you by their side, you'll see. Tonight, every eye will be on you. You won't know what to do with all the admirers you'll attract tonight."
Emma smiled. The words were nice to hear but she didn't believe them. Lucy was just being kind, as she always was. Emma's confidence was at an all-time low but, she fought to plaster on a stiff smile. "Thanks. Now let's get me ready."
~~***~~
Emma wasn't sure what to expect walking into the large building. Quick Date had secured one of the largest events halls in the city and had transformed it into Cupid's dream and her nightmare. The room was covered in red and pink. After the sixth heart, Emma was ready to puke. It was too much, even for a hopeless romantic like her.
Taylor; however, was soaking it all up. To Emma's surprise, Taylor had been polite all evening thus far. Any resentment she'd had earlier in the week, was long gone. Perhaps her resentment was centered towards Joey rather than her. Emma hoped that was the case.
"How amazing is this?" Taylor squealed and grabbed Emma's arm. "It's so pretty and oh my gosh, look at the men!" Taylor pointed towards the end of the room and Emma's eyes followed. Her mouth dropped. Taylor's excitement had now finally reached her.
"Damn," Emma said softly.
Taylor chuckled. "I know!" she sighed dreamily. "And we get to meet them." Emma looked at Taylor and smiled at her giddiness. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Emma was starting to believe that.
A crackle came through the speakers and Emma looked towards the front of the hall. A tall, brunette woman stood dressed in a stunning lilac evening gown. Her hair was pinned to the side allowing waves to cascade down her left shoulder. The hairstyle made her sharp face point out even more. Taylor pulled on Emma's arm and together they walked towards the stage.
"Good evening everyone," the woman spoke. The crowd applauded. "Welcome to our annual Quick Date event." More cheers sounded. "I'm your host and the event organizer, Cheryl." Someone whistled and Cheryl smirked. "You've all received your briefs on how this works and were given a number upon entry. Now, all that's left is to start." Emma glanced down to her chest where a small white name tag was stuck to her. The number 27 was written in bold black ink.
"To start our evening," Cheryl continued, "We'll have the women find their seat on the left of the hall. Each man upon entry was given the numbers of 20 women who came the closest to matching with them. They have the order of the numbers they are to see. When the buzzer chimes, the men will need to move on to the next number. Remember that each three-minute interval will have a challenge so make sure to listen when I speak." Cheryl winked at the crowd and Emma grew nervous. "Ladies, go find your seats!"
"Emma grabbed Taylors arm in a tight grip. "Twenty men! No one said anything about twenty men."
Taylor shrugged. "It's the rules of the event. Some will be from the contest and some will be stranger."
Emma's eyes bugged. "This is ridiculous. How does this make sense? How am I supposed to choose?"
Taylor rolled her eyes and started to pull Emma along to their seats. Taylor was number 28 so their chairs were alongside each other. "You only need to choose two Emma. Besides, the men from the contest were instructed to tell you who they were when introduced. Only concentrate on those and you know, have fun with the rest." She winked at Emma and sat down.
Emma's frown remained. "What did Cheryl mean when she said the men were paired with women they matched with?"
Taylor grinned. "Oh, we had to fill out personality forms. They have some fancy algorithm that pairs us up according to our answers."
"I didn't fill one out," Emma said with a whisper.
"I know. We filled one out for you." Emma gaped and Taylor laughed. "Relax Emma. We used some of the information you already provided us with before we did the interviews."
Still, Emma didn't like the news. It made her more nervous about the evening. She didn't know what to expect from the challenges or the men. When the women were seated, the room fell silent. Emma looked to her left and right of the room. She noticed eager women of all ages, size, and race seated happily in their chairs, all eyes towards Cheryl. Seeing a variety of women around her made her confidence grow a bit. If women who weren't as glamorous as she, were excited instead of scared, perhaps Emma could be too.
A chime suddenly went off and the men slowly walked towards their side of the room. "This is so exciting," cheered Taylor. "Remember to just have fun tonight. Enjoy the attention and relax. No one expects a marriage out of this."
Emma smiled at Taylor. Despite her occasional frosty nature, Emma was glad she had Taylor by her side. Taylor sat with class and experience and her confidence was contagious. "You're right," said Emma. "I'm going to make the most of the experience."
"Atta' girl." Taylor winked and then, her head whipped to the side when a man stood in front of her table. Taylor smirked and said, "well hello there handsome."
Emma chuckled and turned around in time to see someone at her table. He was tall - thank goodness - with deep chestnut hair and almost black eyes. His skin was tan, and his buffed-up physic had her swooning in her seat. He smiled pleasantly at her and attractive laugh lines appeared. He took a seat and stuck his hand out to her. "I'm Leonard," he said in greeting. "I'm a bachelor from the contest. It's great to finally meet Juliet."
Emma smiled and placed her hand in his. "It's nice to meet you." He squeezed her hand while his smile grew. She grinned back and thought, 'I'm going to enjoy this.'
The speaker crackled and Cheryl spoke to the crowd. "For your first challenge of the night, you will find a box of questions under your chairs. You have three minutes to get through as many of the questions as possible. Be honest, it'll help you in the end." Another chime sounded and Emma looked towards Leonard. Simultaneously, they both ducked under their table and looked for a box. Emma found it under her seat. She reached for it and put it on the table.
It was a simple wooden box with a blue question mark painted on the top. Curiously, Emma pulled back the lid and found small white cardboard pieces inside. She looked to Leonard and held the cards to him. "How do you want to do this?"
He shrugged. "You can ask and then I'll answer and then you answer." Made sense.
She cleared her throat and looked down at the cards. When she read the first one, the weight on her shoulders lifted. If the questions were any indication of how her night would go, she had nothing to worry about. "Alright, first question. What's your favorite national holiday?"
Leonard grinned and said, "Thanksgiving."
"Me too," Emma answered. She put the card on the table and reached for a new one. "Favorite animal?"
"Spider," he answered.
"You're joking," she spluttered.
He laughed at her reaction. "I have three Tarantula's at home."
"Are you mad?"
His laugh was louder. "Not a fan I take it?"
She shook her head wildly. "I'm terrified."
"What's your favorite then?"
"Eagle," she answered. He nodded. Emma reached for another question and so their time went. During their short three-minutes, Emma learned the basics about him. She found what were his favorite foods, places to visit, his hobbies, and family dynamic. When the next chime went, Emma's mood had lightened considerably. Leonard had a sense of humor and he had been genuine with his answers. When he stood up, he'd bent down carefully to kiss her hand. Emma silently gushed. She'd have to remember number 12 for later.
"That wasn't so bad," Emma whispered to Taylor while they waited for their next date.
Taylor chuckled. "Oh, Cheryl is just getting started. The challenges get more daring as the night goes on."
Oh, dear.
~~***~~
The night moved on and Emma was onto her thirteenth man. During the past half hour, she'd had to sit on a strangers' lap and feed him chocolate-covered strawberries while answering questions. She had to build a puzzle with another man (he'd been a bore and had refused to help). With another man she had to sing as many songs about love as she could remember. At one point, she'd had to endure being blindfolded while she was asked rather personal and raunchy questions about her sex life. Emma had blushed through those last three minutes. She had felt considerably more uncomfortable than she ever had before, including her usual visits to her lady doctor.
Thankfully, Cheryl alternated between bizarre challenges and normal speed dating. Emma had met some creepy men who'd only sat in front of her, licked their lips, and explicitly detailed what they'd do to her but, she'd also met some interesting, and charming men. She'd even picked her two men and the night wasn't over. Leonard was her first choice. Her second was a man named Ken who; despite his name, was not a barbie doll. Emma had been challenged to feed him strawberries. The man, with his blue-dyed hair and chubby face, had been a real champ through it all. He had been funny and had managed to change an awkward encounter into a great memory.
The last half hour of the night rolled past quickly. During it, Emma had play truth or drink with a man who, to her misfortune, was given a list of scandalous questions. Emma was lightly buzzed when the chime went.
After him, Emma had two more men come to her table. All she'd been told to do was answer the questions in the box. Men, numbers eighteen and nineteen had been difficult for Emma.
With man number eighteen she was challenged to hold his hand and keep her eyes on him for three minutes. In silence. It was uncomfortable and Emma was easily distracted by the things around her. Concentrating on his one good eye was the hardest part. The poor man had a lazy right eye that confused Emma greatly.
Man, number nineteen was no different. While talking, they were challenged to place their feet on the others' lap. That had been difficult, and Emma kept losing her balance. It had ended in a lot of laughs right across the room.
Finally, the evening was nearing an end. All Emma had to do was meet one more man. She feared the challenge they'd be given but all Emma wanted to do was end the night. The entire evening had done her head in. She was tired and the men were starting to blend into each other.
"How are you holding up?" Taylor asked as they waited for their last date.
Emma rubbed her forehead. "I'm tired. I honestly just want this night to end."
Taylor laughed. "I hear you. They're all starting to be the same, aren't they?" Emma nodded with a light chuckle. Suddenly Taylor gasped loudly. When Emma saw her focus on something at Emma's table, she turned around slowly.
When she saw who stood there, she groaned. Of course, it would happen because Emma just had no luck. Her date's grin was wide. His bald head glistened under the lights. He had too much charm and it oozed out of him in buckets.
"I should have known you'd come," Emma said stiffly.
Joey took a seat. Taylor squeaked from her table and looked at Joey with a deep frown. "Why are you here?" Emma's eyes widened at Taylor's question. If she didn't know then, what exactly was he doing there?
Joey waved her comment off. "It's a long story. We'll explain on Monday."
"I want an answer now," said Emma.
Joey rubbed his neck. "I'm here for support. It's purely coincidental that we're paired up. Honest."
Something about his demeanor had Emma squirming uncomfortably. He sounded honest but his eyes gave him away. He was hiding something and it frightened Emma. The competition put her at their mercy. Joey's honesty was all that kept her calm, usually. If he were lying about anything, Emma wasn't sure she'd be able to continue with the charade. It was her life on the line, and she did not want to risk it at the hands of a sinister puppet master.
She wanted to call him out on his lie and demand the truth but, a sound stopped her. A chime pulled their attention to the stage. Cheryl stood there grinning. "For our last challenge, we're giving you a doozy. You will answer the questions given on your table but, whenever you hear our horn blare, you are to kiss. You cannot stop kissing until the horn blares again. Begin!"
Emma stared at Joey. Hell no!
He smirked. "Let's start shall we."