Girlfriend for Hire

Chapter One: Rose-Coloured Romance

Raven Sinclair

Love today, is not what it was way back when. Stolen glances from across a ballroom, the flutter of a fan to convey a secret desire, the chivalrous knight bowing before his lady love, offering her a single pristine rose plucked painfully from the garden of his heart. It's not hte whispered conversations or exchanging love letters, not the stolen moments in the garden maze. It's not the casual walks down the street to the park. It's not the lingering touch of the guy who got your coffee right, without you saying a single word, as he hands you your cup, or the subtle number on the napkin. It's not the guy who climbs up your window when you've been exiled to the confines of your suburban plush prison, all so he can see you smile, it's not the roses in your locker or the secret admirer card, it's not the rose-coloured romance that our minds have been tuned to remember. Love isn't what it was way back when. Whether we like it or not...love has evolved and so have we.

Love today, as people say, is messy, complicated and often fleeting.

But I had always been a serial romantic at heart. And a part of me wanted to believe that in a world crumbling at the mercy of our screens, that I could have that Rose-Coloured Romance that seemed to have been lost in the depths of our history as a race.

"Here you go, babe," Xavier says with a smile as he hands me the cup. "Double shot of espresso with creamy almond milk, a hint of vanilla, and a drizzle of rich dark chocolate syrup, topped with a sprinkle of crushed almonds for that extra crunch. Just the way you like it - complex and unique, just like you."

As Xavier handed me the cup, a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. His thoughtful gesture, remembering my complicated almond milk chocolate order, never failed to make me feel special. I took a moment to inhale the rich aroma wafting from the cup, savoring the familiar blend of espresso and dark chocolate.

But as I took the first sip, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia washed over me. His words, describing my drink as "complex and unique, just like you," reminded me of the complexities of love that I've been pondering lately. Maybe we were the one in a million that had that old time romance that I had always wanted.

We were seated in the cozy corner booth of Brew & Blend. The warm, earthy tones of the décor, combined with the soft hum of chatter and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

Basking in the familiarity of the surroundings, my friends gushed around me, their voices filled with excitement.

"That boy's not just a ten," Ariana nudged me in the side.

"He's just perfect," Fiona chimed in.

"Maybe he's like an alien or something," Dani piped up. "I mean, Kyle doesn't do that for me, all he ever does is stare at his stupid phone."

I sigh, lost in my own thoughts.

"He is perfect, isn't he?" I swoon, my eyes inadvertently seeking out Xavier's gaze. His smile sends warmth coursing through me, but before I can fully lose myself in his presence...

"But you aren't," a voice interrupts, pulling me back to reality.

I turned to see a girl in the booth next us, her gaze fixed on her laptop. Her silver-grey hair was tucked underneath a black beanie. And she gave the aura of a tech savant working from the coffee shop. She was practically radiating with sarcasm and contempt the moment she tore her eyes away from her laptop and looked at me. She looked familiar, I couldn't place it but with her silver hair, I would've known if I had seen her somewhere before.

"Excuse you?" Ariana flares up, her protective instincts kicking in.

The girl shrugged, her expression indifferent. "You're not perfect. And when he realizes that, what do you think will happen?"