This will be a long chapter:)

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

"Can I punch him?" I whisper to Esma as we approach her parents house.

"No." she laughed.

"just a little bit?" I smile.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Just so you know I don't act that way really. Especially now looking back on that situation. Adam needs to lift his game, I have high expectations, you know." she smirks.

"So high that the system is trying to find someone to handle them." I shoot back as she gave me a glare and a light punch on my arm.

"Hey!" I say, widening my eyes.

She punches my arm a little harder.

"You right there?" I say rubbing where she punched me. She knocked on the door.

"And that's for everything else." She says hinting a smile. Before I could question her on what everything else was, the door opened.

"Esma! Darling I haven't seen you for ages." A woman with blonde hair in curls came out opening her arms, bringing Esma into a hug.

A taller broader man with brown eyes came out behind Mrs Yates, smiling as he embraced his daughter with a hug too.

Mrs Yates turned to me with a smile, her eyes scanning my face.

"And who might his handsome fellow be?" She holds out her hand.

"Hi Mrs Yates, I'm Everton." I say a bit nervous as I shake her hand.

She grins turning around to her daughter. "Esma have you come tell me that I will be having grandchildren from you after all?"

Esma's eyes widened. "Mum! no, he's not my boyfriend." she laughs nervously.

"Well that's a shame," she turns back to me. "You will be soon right?"

"Ah..." I had no idea what on earth to say.

"Mum." Esma said sternly as she pulled her mother away from me.

Which left Mr Yates standing in front of me. oh crud. In full well knowing I'm not her boyfriend, the guy makes me feel like one.

"Mr Yates." I nod holding out my hand.

"Everton." he shakes my hand giving me a short smile. "Been looking after my girl have you?"

"Yes Sir." I say smiling awkwardly.

"Good, so I wont have to show you my axe?" he raises an eyebrow.

I gulp. So this is how Humans threaten other people's lovers to make sure they are in line.

"Dad, for the last time, he's not my boyfriend, you can stop torturing him." Esma says appearing behind him.

Sorry. she mouthed to me.

I follow them into the wooden floor and white wall house. We all gather around the kitchen as Mrs Yates takes out water glasses.

"Apologies, Everton," Mrs Yates started. "But Esma hasn't brought a boy home before." She smiles.

Never? I was quite surprised.

"I find that hard to believe." I say chuckling. "Although she can be a bit of a handful."

"Oh she can be." Her mother says jokingly. Esma rolls her eyes, grabbing her water and taking a gulp.

"This is exactly why I don't bring boys home, you know. Because of you crazy people." She points at her parents.

"Well we haven't scared him off yet...which means he must be a keeper." Mrs Yates winks.

"You are so embarrassing." Esma mumbles under her breath.

"So what do we owe this pleasure?" Mrs Yates looks up at me.

I look over at Esma.

"Um, just thought I would pay you guys a visit." Esma Shrugged.

We stayed there until 6pm, after Mrs Yates kindly invited us to stay for dinner. The conversations were brewing in laughter and gladly no more comments about Esma and I were made again. Although it still left us awkwardly sitting in the Pod on the way home.

"How was your Evening?" Nevi spoke through the Pod's speakers.

"Good, Nevi. Thanks." Esma replied.

"I will admit." Nevi's programmed voice replied. "It wont be the same without you when the time comes."

"Thank you, Nevi."

Once we arrived back to Esma's apartment, I couldn't stop thinking how in the next few days we would be saying our goodbyes. I keep wondering to myself possibilities of her remembering about me one day. Maybe after she has found her match, maybe when she's telling her children that they will. One day I hope she remembers.

But I know its impossible to. No ones ever remembered after their 30 days.

"If your not allowed back into the cupid world, where will you stay?" Esma asked me as we stood at the front door of her house.

"We have a few hotels around the human world for cupids, I'll be fine." I told her.

she nodded, about to say something else but instead opened her door. "Goodnight Everton and thank you."

"Just doing my job." I forced out, regretting it immediately.

"yeah." She forced a smile and shut the door.

I wish I could have told her I didn't mean it. That I'm not here just because its my job. I'm here because I want to be. That I enjoy our time together even if its just as friends.

~~~

Once I was inside one of the hotels close by, I immediately called my father. I let him know about my discussion with Eiroleth, let him know I was upset about him not telling me about her sooner. I told him I tried to convince her, but it will take time.

My iMatch chimed.

'Seeing my sister tomorrow.' Esma had sent.

I placed my arm down, laying spread out on the bed. I get a feeling I should only come if she needs me. After what I had said, I don't think she wants to see me right now and I don't blame her.

~~~

Its been two days since I dropped Esma home. I have been making sure she's okay through the iMatch, only to make sure she's not drawn to Adam again.

Some humans may call that stalking but cupids call that protection. I don't look at it too much, I want to respect her privacy. I keep tabs on Adam too, make sure he's not luring her into his charms.

The cupid world is still trying to cope with the system being down, from what I heard. Seems like my Mother hasn't made up her mind... or she already has. Nothing is working to reboot the system, so whatever my mother did, she's the only one who knows how to fix it.

Suddenly my iMatch chimed again, this time it was an alert. Esma and Adams dots on the screen were heading towards each other. I guess I was waiting for that to happen again.

Apart of me felt like letting them go, seeing if she realises on her own that he is no-where near a match for her. I get up, putting my coat on and heading out the door. They aren't far from the hotel so I decided to walk.

The map leads me to a sitting area by a café store. There they sit, laughing away at each other. I don't walk up to them straight away as I hear their voices from a distance.

"I'm not a chocolate person but hey, opposites attract right?" Adams says.

"That's what they say don't they?" Esma chuckles.

"I guess you and I were meant to be. I mean if your boyfriend doesn't get in the way."

Esma leans back a bit. "He's just protective, he means well."

"A bit overprotective if you ask me." Adam sneered.

Esma shook her head. "You don't know him like I do."

Adam crosses his arms. "How can I be with you if he's always there?"

"He's not now."

"He will be though, wont he?"

Esma falls silent.

"Esma you are an attractive, fun and smart person. I want to date you, I would like to see where this goes, but I cant have him breathing down your neck all the time-"

"Are you saying to ditch him? So we can be together?" Esma asks shockingly.

"Well to put it bluntly."

Esma shakes her head. "no." she whispers. "I cant do that. As much as I really like you... I have to go?"

Esma stands, leaving her coffee full in her cup. Adam stands after her with a confused face.

"Wait, were are you going?"

Esma turns her head back around. "I'll call you." then she hurries away in the other direction leaving lover boy standing there with two cups of coffee and two empty chairs.

My iMatch starts to buzz from my wrist.

"Everton.." Esma's voice whispers through the phone.

"I'll be there in ten seconds."

I opened my wings becoming invisible to everyone but Esma as I flew down beside her behind the café building. She looked up, jumping of freight as I land.

"Jesus! I forgot you had those." She points at my white wings. "They are really beautiful you know."

She reaches her hand out touching the feathers that come out of my back. I'm the only one that notices how close she is standing in front of me. She brings her hand down looking up at me, staring into my soul.

"Everton..."

"It's okay." I shake my head.

"Its so confusing. I really, really like him, but at the same time I don't and I know its not right." She puts her hand up to her forehead.

"I told you it will be confusing." I smile. "You cant force love. You either know its right or its not."

Right now I feel just as clear of my feelings then ever.

I really, really adore Esma Yates.

Well shit.

"I can feel its forced. But the desire arrow... it makes me come back to him. He wanted me to ditch you-"

"Esma, a few more days okay? Then it will be over." I say trying to calm her.

She grabs my hand. "Over with this Adam desire, yes. And over with you and over with the cupid world."

"Its a lose, lose for me." She sighs.

I squeeze her hand. "Its a lose, lose for me too. Even worse because I will always remember you, but you wont ever remember me."

"Maybe we can start again-" She starts.

"Esma, you have a match out there waiting for you. I'm afraid if I come back to find you, I will be the one ending up with the broken heart." I say letting go of her hand.

She stares at me with a confused look for a second. My heart thumps loudly as I just realised I practically told her how I feel.

"Don't worry," I quickly said. "Don't think too hard it might hurt that pretty little head of yours." I smile.

She turns her gaze into a glare and punches my arm. "I'm not dumb, I got what you said." she says nervously.

Oh.

"Come on then wing boy take me home."

It was very, very quiet on the walk home. Esma's so confused about things with Adam and then my dumb ass made it worse and more confusing for her. We didn't mention what I said, I think it was easier on both of us to pretend that wasn't said.

Once I dropped Esma off and arrived back to the hotel, I found a letter by my door. Only someone from the human world would contact me this way and I think I know who.

I opened up the sealed envelope, pulling out a piece of parchment.

Everton,

I've been thinking, although I'm going against my strong opinion for what I believe in, I believe in my son more. The whole time I was doing things that were right for me. Instead I should be doing what's right for you and your world. Your right, I'm not apart of your world anymore and I never was.

The system will be up and running again on Saturday. There will be one more day to find Esma's match before she forgets.

I'm sorry.

Eiroleth.

I lay the note on the white sheets of the hotel room bed.

I did it. The cupid world will be okay.