Truth Serum

0. Prologue

Audrey and Sean.

They had been flitting around each other for months, and it was totally driving their friends nuts.

Every time Audrey and Sean met, they were reduced into blobs of blushing, stammering teenagers. (They were 20, and college was nerve-wracking.)

Their few friends were almost tearing their hair out in exasperation. The girls were just like, "Sean should just ask Audrey out already!" and "I ship it! I totally ship it!" The guys were not less enthusiastic, using curses to describe their fervent fangirling, such as, "OH MY FUCKIN' GOD, JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY!"

Monica, one of Audrey's closest best friends, was a meddler. And people usually benefited from her meddling. ("80% success rate, guys! 4/5 times...") So, she devised a plan, and it was a very simple, but effective plan.

You see, Valentine's Day was coming up soon, and that usually meant the arrival of Candy Grams. (Yes, you know how this story goes.)

Sean and Audrey both sent each other Candy Grams, as they usually did as "really good friends". But, unlike couples, they didn't typically send a sweet message. Usually just a "Happy Valentine's Day!" or a "Thanks for being a great friend."

Monica had taken the responsibility of getting the two together for herself. She had delivered the Candy Grams, but she erased the platonic message, and added a different one.

Sean's Candy Gram now read, "I have a huge crush on you, and now I'm telling you. Wanna grab a coffee sometime?" Audrey's Candy Gram read the same thing. (Monica was sometimes too overt in her messages.)

Monica had gushed over it when Audrey received her Candy Gram from Sean. "OMG, all the couples sent each other Candy Grams! Like, Robert and Emilie, and Lana and Sean..."

"Who? Sean?" Audrey had squeaked.

"Oh, you know. The other Sean. Not your Sean," she reassured with a wink. Audrey blushed really deeply.

The next day, Audrey and Sean had ran into each other. "I would love to get a coffee sometime," Sean had said first. His face had reddened slightly; a light pink blush spread across his face.

"Great! Me too!" Audrey replied.

Audrey's roommate, Kathryn, had watched this scene with an amused smirk. "So," she cornered Audrey. "Are you two dating now?"

"Um, I don't know," Audrey had replied. "I mean, we are really close, and generally like the same things... "

"Aha! You are dating!" Kathryn triumphantly announced.

"It's just coffee!" Audrey interjected.

"It's a date," Kathryn corrected. "And it's about time!"

She strutted away, ready to spread the new gossip around the campus, while Audrey stood there, flustered and red-faced.

But there was truth in Kathryn's words. Getting coffee together was considered a date, especially since the two were attracted to each other.

And from that, an awkward but sweet relationship had blossomed.

First Totally-Not-A-Date:

Audrey had forgotten that a coffee date for her was bad. Really bad.

All her friends worked at the same coffee shop, a Starbucks, and it was a major social hub. Audrey worked at a fancy restaurant where there were different types of spoons and forks and knives. (It was French.)

By now, Audrey had already figured out that a friend, probably Monica, had set her up with Sean. (She wasn't complaining, though.)

That meant that most of her friends would see her in that coffee shop and spread rumors.

But it was too late to change it, since it was only ten minutes until 8 AM, the agreed time for the coffee date.