Chapter Three

Robyn was massaging her temple  feeling a migraine creeping its way in as she sat on the stool in the kitchen. Ella was standing beside her, facing her as she drummed her fingers on the counter which just seemed to make the rising migraine worse. Beau, Layla and Debbie were in the living room giving the two best  friends a little privacy.

"Will you stop that?"

"What the hell is wrong with you Robyn? Did you have to hit him? You probably broke his nose.."

"Are you seriously worried about Brett right now? When are you going to open your eyes?"

"Open my eyes to what?"

"That sucker does not love you Ella. He was with another girl for crying out loud. Was I hallucinating it?"

"They are just friends."

"No they are not. Gosh Ella, what do I gotta do to make you see?"

"Well you do have three months to prove it to me."

"Yeah. You got it."

They sat there looking at each other and then burst out laughing.

"Oh my goodness, you are something. Is your hand okay?"

"Yes. I just need to ice it for another hour or so.... But how are you?"

"I'm a little upset. But we're on a break so he can mingle."

"Aarrg. Let's not talk about that anymore. You're actually making my headache worse."

Ella laughed at that. "I have to ask though, how did Beau know how to calm you down?"

"What? When?"

"When he carried you out of the food court. "

"Oh. I don't know."

"He hugged you and did something with his hand on your head. Whispering."

"I don't even remember that part. But Beau has seen me wig out when we were younger so he might have learned a thing or two."

"Okay. Sure."

"Now let's go and explain to Debbie why we had to pack up her meal."

"Marshmallows?"

"Got them."

As soon as they got into the living room, Debbie run to Robyn with her arms open wide.

"Aunt Roby, are you going to protect me from bad guys too?"

Robyn looked around at the others with a confused look. Layla just nodded and smiled at her.

"Yes my princess. I will protect you."

Debbie hugged her even tighter and would not let go till they sat down and she started stuffing her face with marshmallows. Robyn mouthed a thank you to her friends. The last thing she wanted was a sweet girl like Debbie seeing her as a violent person.

They watched an animation because of Debbie though she fell asleep halfway through.  Layla excused herself and took a sleeping Debbie home.

They spent the afternoon watching movies and talking about random things.

"So Beau, you haven't told us..." Ella started.

"You have to be more specific.Told you what?"

"You know, the lucky girl you are dating."  Ella said a little too enthusiastic making Robyn tense a little. Did she want to know?

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that but I'm working on something."

"Boooooo! That's a lame excuse. Tell us."

Beau chuckled. "It's nothing serious."

"Did it blow up? You know distance and what not?"

"Yeah sure."

"Can we stop talking about that geez. You're like teenagers high on hormones all over again."

"Don't exaggerate Robbie."

"She has some sick aversion to love you know." Ella chimed in.

"No I do not. I just think it's ridiculous."

"You are ridiculous. It's been over four years."

"Ells if you even utter a single peep about that again, I will pull your tongue out."

"It's been four years since what?" Beau asked a new curiosity spiking.

"She's talking nonsense. What are we doing tonight? I won't be available tomorrow."

"Why? Where will you be?"

"Uncle Peter needs help with some documents at his house tomorrow. Really important that he finds them before Monday."

"Oh alright."

"How is he by the way? How is Drew?" Beau asked.

"He is okay and Drew is fine. He was supposed to come last Christmas but he didn't. Bad weather and shit."

"Okay. How about your parents. Did you go see them recently."

Robyn tensed up again and debated internally whether to tell Beau about them or not. She could say she didn't care about seeing them instead she told him they were fine.

Robyn did not hate her parents. She just had a complicated relationship with them so she avoided being around them as much as possible. It was one of the reasons she had moved to Rares city. She needed to have her own life.

Ella knew how uncomfortable the subject of parents was for Robyn was so she changed the subject to Beau's engineering company. Robyn was grateful for that. And it made her happy that Ella was sensitive and kind. She just wished Ella did not give it out freely because people took advantage of that. Brett for example.

As soon as she thought that, she started brainstorming ideas on how to show Ella true love did not exist.

"So are you ready to go out tonight?"

"Yeah. Where will we go?"

"No, not you me and Beau. You're going out to mingle."

"With who?"

"You remember Anthony?"

"You mean Tony from your office?"

"Who is this Tony?" Beau asked curious.

"He is the guy in love with Ella. She kept rejecting  him saying she had a boyfriend. Dude has never given up though."

"So you set me up with him?"

"I invited him to hang out with us so you can chill and arrange a date."

"That's your plan to win the bet? It does not make sense."

"It won't make sense to you now. But soon it will." Robyn said smirking.

"You're scaring me..."

"Even I am scared for you Ells.  She has that devilish grin." Beau said faking chills. Robyn laughed.

"I'm going to the spice shop on the corner. Need me some tumeric and barbeque sauce."

"You do know I don't really like spices right."

"Yes. I will use a little. I'm making dinner tonight. Just help me peel potatoes"

With that Ella left the place. Robyn decided it was a good idea to make dinner early.

"So when are you coming to see my place? I feel like I haven't been there in days."

"How about on Monday after work."

"So can I pick you up after work?"

"Sure. I would have come tomorrow. But I have to sort out work documents with uncle Peter."

"Oh right. Let me ask you something."

"If it's about my father then no."

"No. Not that. Your plan to win the bet with Ella is to make her fall for Anthony."

"Yes and no. We're going to all hang out tonight. Then tomorrow you are going to arrange a terrific date for them while I coach Tony in how to talk to her and make her fall."

"Are you sure she will fall for him?"

"Oh she will. I will make sure he treats her right, dresses right and makes her feel all good, in short he will be the opposite of Brett."

"But that's really manipulative..."

"Maybe. But it's for her own good. I want her to realise there is no such thing as a one true love or meant to be. Brett is not her true love.".

" But Anthony is?"

"Not really. I want her to see she can be with whoever treats her right. Not that bag of nonsense."

"How do I come in all this?"

Robyn chuckled patting Beau on the back. "You will be responsible for the date venues and if need be, wardrobe. You dress nice mostly."

Beau laughed. "Fine. Seems easy enough."

"Don't be so sure."

Beau was listing out options for the date the next day to which Robyn kept saying no and maybe when his phone rang.

"I gotta take this." He said excusing himself. "Hello? Hey how are you? Slow down. No it's not like that Liz. Of course I want us to work..... No I don't, we're just friends I told you....."

With that Robyn decided she had heard enough. She turned the volume of the speaker up. She really did not want to hear Beau sweet talking his girlfriend as it was pretty obvious to her he was talking to. She did not want to awaken any feelings or memories about her and Beau. She did not want to resent him because he was good to her. She was not going to tell him about what happened to her after he left. That was in the past and Robyn was not as weak and gullible as she was then. She  had gotten over it and she could not hate him, it was not really his fault.

She had almost finished peeling the potatoes when she called Anthony.

"Hey Tony, you better dress nicely. I don't want to see Khaki's anywhere on you. I'm warning you. See you there." She hung up.

She was hoping tonight will go smoothly. She wanted Ella to have someone who would love her not based on an idea of destiny and true love. Robyn hated those words.they made her feel weak, like she had no control over her life. Never again.