"Like In Fairytales"

66.

Rosalie:

"Aiden... You might have gotten in wrong. This is the waiting room. They are by the exit," I told him as he looked up.

He was walking staring at the floor.

"Uh. Oh. I got it... I'll go catch up with them," he said stammering as he looked up.

"Aiden... Everything cool?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Sure. Congrats on the win though. I had to go to the washroom for you know," he said as he looked awkwardly at me.

"It's alright. Um..." I said as my phone rang. I picked it up as he looked at me.

"I shall go then," he said.

"Wait..." I said as he looked at me. I motions him to a chair.

"Who is this?" I checked the number.

"It's Celine," the person answered.

"I am sorry but I have a trouble recalling you," I said.

"I am Dakota's mother. I was wondering if you're up for coffee today," she said.

"Umm... Today's not good for me. What about some other day?" I asked. She was taken aback. She didn't respond.

"Um... Hello?" I asked.

"Alright. I'll let you know on the date soon. I am really happy that you gave me a chance," Celine answered.

"Great. I'll see you soon," I said. She cut the call as Aiden looked at me, amused.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"Nothing. Um... I was just amused by the fact that you know practically everything. How did you learn so much?" he asked.

I laughed.

"You think I enjoyed learning? No. I wanted to party like other girls of high school and have a boyfriend and be surrounded by great friends and wear flashy Gucci and Chanel clothes. I wanted to be someone else. But if I were to enjoy, I wouldn't be able to get in the grade 1 school and plan for grade 1 future. All young Rosalie wanted was attention and the best way to seek recognition was sports or studies. I chose studies. I never slacked off my work. Read my books thoroughly. Didn't go to parties. Didn't get invited to parties. I never did anything a normal girl wants to do. First it used to satisfy me. Wouldn't it feel great if a 7 year old could read and understand a 9 year old's book? Later on, it was expectations. People would doubt my earlier skills if I didn't win now. They'd chalk it up to fate. So I strained my eyes and my mind. People misinterpret that I read all day long. The thing is I don't. After a little while, you get accustomed to it. I know people get worried that I might be antisocial when I grow up. The thing is that it doesn't matter. It's no longer about waiting for the results but calculating it earlier than it is given. It's toxic," I said as I picked up my papers and stuffed my medal in my bag.

"I am sorry that you go through so much. And then on top of it, it's your Dad," he said.

I smiled.

"It's no longer about him," I said.

"Sky told me that you hate his guts," he said.

"I can't hate him. He is just like me. If I don't like that situation, I won't stay any longer with it. Life is too short to waste on trivial matters like waiting and hating. Speak out if you have something," I said.

"Can I ask you something? I think you'll be the answer," he asked.

"Yeah," I said as I sat down next to him.

"You know lately that Skylar and I have been close together for a month. I am in love with her. I actually am. But I am afraid that I'd lose her. We just hang out. Isn't that what friends do?" he asked.

"You think that you are the only one who's afraid? Skylar asked me this a few days ago. She is worried that you are tensing up. You seem to have changed. Love is not about kisses, chocolates, roses or Valentine's Day. Nor is it Persephone and Hades. It isn't Cupid or Aphrodite. It isn't red or black for that matter. Love isnt anything that you can touch, feel, imagine," I said.

"Then what is love?" he asked.

I smiled.

"It's shock, terror, panic mixed with tears, sweats and laughs with a does of adrenaline and insanity. It's a maze ensnared with thorns pricking you but the carpet is made of roses. Soft roses. It isn't black and white. Or red and white. Or red and black. Its just there and you know it. It's that sudden feeling of falling you feel when you sit together. It's the hand around your throat. I wrong move and it'll split you. It isn't the heart but rather it's blood and gore and flesh and soul. It isn't philosophy, biology, chemistry. It's rather an illusion, a thin sheet of ecstasy," I said.

"What if this is the wrong thing? How can you know what love is?" he asked.

"You don't know but you know. That's what I feel with Theodore. It's unconditional," I said.

"You guys are great in your relationship but it's not gonna work out with me and Skylar this way," he said.

"Your definition of love reminds me more of lust. It's a sin," I said.

"Isn't ecstasy too?" he asked.

"But you are willing to do it. It's the end of it. You can't love Skylar if that's the case. If a kiss matters more than feelings then you have mistaken lust for love and destruction for disaster," I said.

"I love her. I love her for her smile and her laughter and her twinkle and slanted wit. I don't wanna stay away from her," he said.

"Then talk to her. Don't wait for answers and signs because love won't wait for you," I said.

"I am confused," he said.

"To summarise... Love isn't what I said. Love is rather the feeling that feels better if left unknown. There is no point in finding the variables of love. There are no variables in love. It's a constant. It flowed from one to another. It's like a disease. Love isn't poetry or science. Love is unidentified and unknown and better if left undisturbed," I said. He looked at me shook as I picked up the things and pulled him up. I pulled him out towards where Skylar and Theodore were waiting.