What Makes You Beautiful

Will you be my Date?

11th March

2.15 p.m.

"Hello Sharon," Rachel greeted exhaustedly, when she held her door open for the middle aged woman.

"Rachel! I haven't seen you for days! Are your students having exams at school?" she asked.

"Yes they are," she said. She was staying up late at night to grade their papers. She hadn't gotten sleep last night.

"Oh poor honey!" Sharon said. Her hand flew up to her heart. "Well, I have news to cheer you up!"

Rachel raised her eyebrows at her.

"Remember that guy you were getting cosy with at my party?"

Rachel let her shoulders droop. Seriously?

"You mean Flynn?"

"Yes!" she cried out excitedly. "He's been calling at our house since yesterday, looking for you."

"Looking for me?"

"For your address, honey," she smiled. "Don't you worry. I gave him your address right away! Flynn's really adorable, don't you think?"

"You told him my apartment number?" she was reeling from the shock. Why would Flynn want to know that? They were done. Over. Everything was in the past. What's this new deal then?

"Of course! He is really very charming."

"Did he say why he wants to know where I live?"

"No. You'd have to find that out yourself!" Sharon smiled, jiggling her eyebrows at her.

Rachel wanted to disappear off the face of the Earth. What the hell did he want with her?

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11th March

6.00 p.m.

"What do you think of this?" Cassidy asked Flynn, holding out a tux for him.

"It's good. But shiny."

"Flynn, this is really good. And you are wearing it at my wedding!" Cassidy said.

"Uh.okay," he shrugged. Not a time for argument. He did not want to mess with her. She could get a hundred times scarier than his Mom when someone disagreed with her.

"So, did you find a date?" she asked.

"Working on that," he said.

"Flynn, what about Belle?"

"Belle?"

"The girl you brought home for dinner last month?"

"Oh her? It was nothing."

"So when do you suppose you'll find a date?"

"Oh I have found one all right. Just have to ask her."

"Anyone I know?"

"Rachel."

Cassidy gasped. "Rachel? Rachel Hills? From high school?"

"The very one."

"You're telling me you're going to bring her to my wedding? Flynn, you're insane! Mom always hated her! If she knows Rachel's going to be your date, she's going to flip! And after so many years, you sure you want her as your date?"

"She's different now, Dee. I mean, the moment she saw me, she was ready to bolt out the door. I don't know how I managed to talk to her. Before, she would have flirted. Flirting to her was like breathing. She didn't even have to try. And now, she is this motherly History teacher. She's going to be a perfect date. We already have 'history' together, you know?"

Cassidy rolled her eyes at his lame pun.

"And when she heard you were getting married, she was genuinely excited," he added.

"I don't know. Do you think she will agree to be your date?"

"She will."

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14th March

7.07 p.m.

The doorbell buzzed loudly.

Rachel hit mute on the remote and ambled towards the door.

Flynn was standing on her doorstep, a bouquet of gardenias in hand. Add to that his unabashedly sexy smile.

"Sorry. You got the wrong apartment," she said. She was about to shut the door on his face when he wedged his shoe between the door and the doorframe.

"These are for you," he said, dumping the bouquet onto her and walking past her into the apartment.

"I did not invite you in!" she retorted.

"Don't worry. I don't bite," he scoffed.

Vampires were such a common household entertainment nowadays. But somehow, hearing him joke about it did not amuse her.

"Flynn, what do you want?" she asked, once she had shut the door, and placed the bouquet on the low coffee table.

"You."

She blinked several times and finally laughed.

"I am not seventeen, if you haven't noticed," she said.

"Remember we had called truce? So, I really need your help. And I know you will help me out."

"It depends on what you want."

"I need a date for Dee's wedding. And I want you to be my date." He placed the invitation card on the coffee table beside the bouquet.

"Have all the other girls suddenly vanished?"

"No. But you were an easy choice. I dated you for a year."

"In high school; seven years ago. So forget it. Besides, I'm busy."

"So are you dating someone?"

"I wish!" she scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't have time to date. I work at the school. I tutor students in my free time."

"What have you done to Rachel?"

"This is Rachel," she said. "And Flynn, we are at a point when I really don't understand what's going on. You dump me. And then seven years later we meet at a party. And suddenly you want me to be your date at your sister's wedding. Don't you think everything's all messed up?"

"Messed up? No. You told me you've changed. I can see that you have. And this Rachel is both a good teacher and a breathtaking beauty. I don't think I want to pass on an opportunity to have her as my date."

"Thank you for the flowers, but Flynn, I don't want to travel down that road again. Not with you, at least."

"You haven't forgiven me yet, have you?" he asked. He stood up from the sofa, and looked at the screen.

"Since when do you see romantic movies?" he asked.

"Since, I don't know. I can't remember."

He walked up to her, and took her hand in his. Rachel swallowed. His hand was so warm, and reassuring. She felt tingles shoot up her arm.

With the other hand, he brushed her hair away from her face, and watched as her eyes almost fluttered shut at the contact. He secretly enjoyed her reactions. She still reacted to his simple touch. At least that hadn't changed.

"Think about it. I know I can count on you," he said softly.

The spell was broken as soon as it was cast. She stepped away from him, and closed her eyes.

"No, Flynn. I don't think I want to be your date," she said, opening her eyes.

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