"It's Not Love If It Hurts" //5sos

/84/

"You still can't make eggs," Calum teased, resting his head on Annie's shoulder.

"Hey!" she protested. "It's not my fault! No one ever bothered teaching me to cook."

He laughed, poking her sides. "Sometimes I wonder how you ever survived without me."

"Me too," she smiles, turning so she's facing him. His hands find her waist immediatly, the two of them rocking gently. She leans forwards, kissing him softly before pulling away, moving to sit on the counter. "But in all honesty, for a long time after high school I worked in a restaurant. I got huge discounts and free food, so I got one good meal a day, at least. Then some cereal and microwavable dinners for the other meals." She swung her legs lightly, smiling small at Calum. "But I prefer this much more."

He smiled as well. "Me too."

****************************************************************

  "Remember, the most important thing is to try and handle the test the best you can. If you do well, the job is yours. If you don't, you don't have to worry about it."

  Annie raised her eyebrows. "Johanna, what is this all about?"

  Johanna smirked evilly. They sat in the room by the interview room, where the one way mirror showed into the interview room. In the middle of the room was a large box, covering something on the floor.

  It was finally time for Annie to complete her interview, to try and become the boys second handler. It was John's old job, and Annie half expected Johanna to be sad, but instead she seemed excited. Annie remembered what she had said when she first told Annie about the interview- it's no big deal, she'll probably get it, but Johanna was the last one to have to go through with the interview, and she was exciting to make someone else do it.

  "Don't worry," Johanna reassured, but the way she was looking at Annie gave her plenty of reasons to worry. "Just a little batty test. Only five minutes long."

  She lead her into the interview room, and got ready to pick up the box. "My one piece of advice for you is to remember what the job is. Remember what your being tested on. And try not to die."

  Annie's eyes widened as Johanna picked up the box, and tossed it to the side. Underneath, a mass of wires all piled together, random knobs and switches making it even more confusing. On the top, a screen showed the time '5:00'.

  "You have five minutes to disarm the bomb. The interview room should contain most of it if you fail. I'll unlock the door in 5 minutes and 30 seconds."

  With that, Johanna pressed a button on the side of the bomb, and the timer started counting down. Annie felt bile rise up in her throat. What the actual fu-

  "If I were you, I'd get started." The intercom announced. Annie hated Johanna.

  She knelt on the ground, trying to figure out the bomb in front of her. Finding the button Johanna had pressed to start it, she tried to press it again to make it stop, but it didn't work.

  She tried reading the labels on some of the switches, but it didn't work.

  "Four minutes!"
 
  Annie looked at the wires. None of them made any sense to her- she had no clue whatsoever. She tried to figure out which ones led where, but they were all a tangled mess. Experimentally, she pulled out one of the wires, and inside the contraption, something clicked.

  "Three minutes! I wouldn't do that if I were you."

  Annie put the side back in hurriedly, trying to keep her hands still. Che was beginning to freak out- this was an actual bomb, that was going to go off and kill her if she didn't disarm it in time.

  Flicking done switches, she heard one thing drop on the inside, and decided that was good. The side of the metal box had letters, a random assortment, but they meant absolutely nothing to her.

  "Two minutes," Johanna said, not adding any more tips.

  Annie tried to focus, but the box had started ticking with the clock and driving her mad. What advice had Johanna given her? What did this gave to do with anything? She was applying to be a handler for a popular band, not disarm bombs!

  Remember what your being tested on. That's what the advice had been.

   Annie glanced at the clock. 1:32 seconds, 1:31, 1:30...

  All of a sudden, a gray smoke started pouring from underneath the box. Annie coughed, pulling her shirt up hoping she wouldn't breathe in the smoke, but she must have. It smelt like gasoline and firewood, and Annie tried to keep working in the box, but it seemed impossible.

  Remember what your being tested on. What the hell was she being tested on?

  How well she could handle things, Annie realized. How well she could handle it.

  Struggling, Annie pulled out a few more wires, but it didn't do anything.

  "1 more minute! Annie, I'd hurry if I were you!"

  Annie gave up, picking up the bomb and carrying it to the corner of the room. She put the cardboard box over it, trying to contain the smoke, and it did help a little. She ran to the other corner as the box started making a whizzing noise. "Johanna, this better be a joke! I swear to God-"

  The bomb started shuddering in the corner, and Annie curled into a ball as far away from it as possible. She covered her head with her hands, breathing rapidly as she waited.

  And waited.

  And waited.

  Johanna poked her with her shoe. "Do you need a moment?"

  Annie slowly got up, eying the bomb in the corner wearily. "I hate you."

  "It's a simulation," Johanna explained. "To test how well you handle stress."

  "Haven't you already tested that? Wasn't that when you and John yelled at me then you punched me?"

  Johanna brushed aside the comment. "That was seeing how well you handle hate, and that was interviewing you for your role as Calum's girlfriend. This was a test to see how you managed stress."

  Annie stood up, brushing off her pants. "Let me guess. I did terribly?"

  Johanna tapped her chin, considering it. "You did what you could, and didn't turn into a raging maniac. And when the time came, you knew how to stop pushing it. No, you did pretty well."

  "Actually?" Annie added, widening her eyes.

  "Actually." Johanna agreed. "The jobs all yours."