A TALE OF TWO LOVERS

MEASURED LOVE

After clarification of our relation to the couple, we were allowed to go in. It was beautiful. With marble floors that were clean to perfection, chandeliers that brightened the place and ballroom space that gave the place a magical feel, the building was magnificent. We had to take a flight of stairs to get to the top where there was a big hourglass that sat on top of a jewel-encrusted weirdly shaped item. Below the item was a circular glass that covered another item that was blurry to me and in front of all those was an area that had two large golden markings. The markings were circular and they covered a large portion of the middle of the room. To the right, were chairs for the family and a table of snacks and to the left stood two keepers of the tower.

I watched as my parents took Hayley and Brandon to the two men. My parents came back to stand where we all did as the keepers led the two to the circular golden markings and with each person in his circle, I gasped audibly when the golden marks extended to cover them up in a transparent circle.

"It will evaluate their reactions and make a conclusion on whether they can stay together" mother explained.

"Shouldn't that be up to them?" I asked, once again angered by the notion.

"When has it ever been?" Fiona asked.

"They will go through all emotions. How they think and feel determines the level of trust and love they hold" mother continued, her eyes on the machine.

The machine dinged, making us all look at mother "Each ding will represent one test" she explained and we looked back. Her whole form sent shivers in me, she was heartbroken. Her eyes illuminated fear as she looked at something before the fear dispersed as if coming to a realization. She straightened from her stiff position and narrowed her eyes. At what? I didn't know. It was as if images were passing one by one in front of her and though she had a natural reaction at first, she imediately changed after some thought and so did Brandon's.

MAX'S P.O.V



Amanda was too pre-occupied, with a hand in her hair out of frustration and another taking a piece of chocolate after the other from me. She filled her mouth, her eyebrows scrunched in worry and I reached over to wipe the chocolate from her cheeks. Her eyes were glued to the measurer and she didn't react as I wiped, imeadiately reaching for chocolate. Brandon and Hayley seemed distraught, an emotion that would go away after five minutes only to be replaced with another. Heartbreaking sadness, devastating fear, misplaced suspicion and the bone shattering chill that accompanied loss. All emotions I was familiar with, for different reasons and they were plastered, one after the other on their faces, making a whimper sound from beside me.

Amanda shed a tear, she cried for her sister and a I felt a sting in my chest. She was so angry at what was happening and I was jealous. She was so concerned and angry, it made me feel like I had nothing. It was selfishness and I knew that, I wanted someone to care so much that they get angry when I'm wronged. As I watched her continuously sigh in annoyance, I wished for it, for that annoyance to be in my favor and for the people around me to recognise my prescence. The situation was tense and cruel but the overwhelming support and genuine care that showed on everyone's face made me want to be the centre of this otherwise cruel situation. It was desperate and I despised myself for wanting it but I still did. I wanted her to look at me with the concern that had her lips quivering, the fear that made her eyes twinkle, the anger that had her fingers tremble and the sadness that occasionally softened her eyes.

I wanted her concern, her sadness, her anger and her.... love? I furrowed my eyebrows, surprised by the feelings that had grown more than I anticipated and yet it warmed my heart. She felt like the sunset after along day, if that day was two years worth of time. She was the door to a world I've experienced a handfull of times, the world of caring for your family. It had been a while, since my sister got sick and my parents behaved as though nothing was going on, always hiding their emotions. They got angry whenever she asked questions and ignored their responsibilities as parents by not taking her seriously. I felt a tug, taking me out of my thoughts and I looked down to see Amanda holding my sleeve tight. Her nose flared and her eyebrows scrunched making me follow her line of sight to see the transparent circle that had covered them go back down. Brandon and Hayley's broken form came to view and they looked tired, too tired to stand straight. Amanda moved, not noticing the keepers making their way and I held her in place. We watched as the keeepers started the process once again and Amanda squeezed my wrist making me hiss at the slight unexpected pain.

"Sorry" she apologized with a grimace as she lightly passed her thumb on the area.

We watched the process once again, but this time, it was good tmes. They laughed, cried with joy, trusted and lived. It was supposed to be a wholesome beautiful moment yet it felt foreboding, as though something was seriously wrong. I felt it in the deepest part of my stomach and it was uncomfortable, I felt disgust. I was witnessing the measurer at work for the first time in my life and though I had no particular feelings towards it, it made me uncomfortable. They were reliving the best moments of their lives and what was to come and that felt unfair, as though they were being robbed. It didn't last as long as the first round and they were rejuvinated at the end of it, making it feel even more uncomfortable.

The whole place lit up in celebration as a big tick showed up on top of the machine like some spelling competition. The lower cupboard slid out, revealing a pair of gold rings. Brandon and Hayley were too busy hugging one another tight to notice the luxurious jewelry that came with the bizzare accomplishment. Amanda was glued in place, narrowing her eyes at the set of jewelry that kept sliding out of the long cupboard.

"Is that supposed to be some sort of consolation? After all that?" she asked, her voice unbelieving.

"Well, it does help with the wedding" I said, still watching as more and more cupboards opened.

"It does" she agreeed with a small nod.

"Still feels so messed up, doesn't it?" I asked and she hummed.

"Reminds me of programming" she explained " Creepy" she said with a shudder.

"You really don't like it do you?" I asked in jest and she gasped.

"Oh, was I obvious about it?" she said before a small smile graced her lips "At least she is happy" she said turning to look at her sister.

We went to join the celebration when the ceiling opened up revealing a set of beautiful images of the two and after a while, it stopped with two rings entwined. After some hugs and congratulations, the keepers of the tower escorted the couple to another room while we waited. Refreshments and snacks were handed out as we sat down around a long table that was near the wall to the left.

"Try this" Amanda said, handing me a cookie covered in dark chocolate.

She piled her plate with a variety of the snacks on the table and when I took a bite of the cookie, it disintergrated in my mouth, revealing a sweet filling and my eyes went wide.

"Delicious?" she asked, handing me a strawberry milkshake "Now try it with this" she said, which I did and her eyes twinkled in anticipation.

"Amazing" I commented and she smiled.

"It's the best combo. The cookie is filled with hazelnut cream and the dark chocolate on top is made in a special way" she said.

"Amanda, are you sharing our secret snack?' Fiona asked from right infront of us.

"Don't worry, that's only about eighty percent of the experience" Amanda answered trying to wave her off when she realised that Fiona was still giving her a pointed look.

"I didn't add our discoveries for the past month" she justified and Fiona narrowed her eyes slightly before relaxing.

"So he just got the rookie treatment" she said, taking a sip of her vanilla milkshake and Amanda nodded.

"The rookie treatment?" I asked and she raised her eyebrows.

"You are lucky you even got that. It's only cause I wasn't watching" Fiona said.

"She's right. You nearly got me killed" Amanda said with a smile, whispering the last part.

Aaron was chatting with his parents at the far end of the table, Amanda was teasing Blake about his choice of drink and Fiona was concocting something that looked wierdly good on her plate. It was wierd how twenty minutes ago, we were all on edge and now, everybody was relaxed. My home had become a tense environment the past year and this change up was refreshing in a way I couldn't describe.

"Blake, seriously? Drink your milkshake" Amanda said.

"A general needs to keep form. A coffee will do" he answered, reaching for the coffee when Amanda slapped his wrist.

General? wasn't it Mr. President?

"You need your energy back and besides I saw you balling your eyes out twenty minutes ago. That's not very general like now, is it?" she asked and he hit her wrist making her let go of the cup of coffee.

"What, generals don't cry?" he asked with a deadpan look.

"I could ask the same thing. Consider this a cheat day for the general and enjoy" she countered "Don't make me reveal your secret" she threatened.

"Too low" he said.

"You added chocolate to the coffee" she said "You already took a sip" she continued and Blake tried to put his hand on her mouth.

"It's done, you already cheated. Might as well get the whole experience, I hear these red chocolate balls can only be found here" she tempted and he took a minute to think.

"Fine. You are right, a general would never let an opportunity pass him by" he said and she breathed out a laugh.

"Bullshit. You were planning on eating all along" she said.

"Shut up." he said taking a bite of the muffin.

Their interaction was cut short as Hayley and Brandon came back. They took a seat at the table, imeadiately starting a conversation with the parents and I noticed that Brandon's family members were not present.

"His family?" I asked.

"They live far away plus one of his siblings was sick and they had to stay back" Amanda explained.

"Aren't they missing out on something big?" I asked and she smiled, placing her chocolate milkshake down.

"They are the calmest people I have ever met. One thing I love about them is that they don't place so much importance on the measurer as they do on what they can see" she explained.

"Good to know. I've seen people who worship this thing" I said, finding the whole thing weird.

"Never quite understood it. I don't need a machine to tell me I'm in love and that I can do anything for that person" she said.

"What about you? How do you feel about it?" she asked, her elbows perched on the table with her face in her hands.

"Nothing in particular. I've never really had a deep thought about it before" I answered and she nodded.

"What if your future partner is against it, what would you do?" she asked, looking me straight in the eye.

I shrugged, not finding the process as important as it actually was " As long as she doesn't need a machine to reassure her of my love then I don't mind not doing it" I answered and she smiled.

"Thanks for the chocolate. You are very considerate and the girl who ends up with you will be very lucky" she said, the sincerity shining in her eyes and I liked her even more.

I leaned in close and her eyes went slightly wide but she didn't move back " Why the future tense? I've already found a chocolate loving, honest girl" I said and her eyebrows went slightly up.