"You're telling me we have to use a jar of Cupid dust to make people fall in love?" Sebastian picked up the pickle sized jar, eyeing the contents suspiciously. "This is bullshort."

"Sebastian, you are a complete thorn in my side." Agent 004 said.

"Take that as a compliment. She calls me worse."

"Don't know how when you can't even cuss in this place."

"Oh, she finds a way," Agent 005 muttered.

It was their last day of class, three out of three apparently, and the four of them were just as riled as ever. After the random visit from the Head Cupid, she had graciously shown them around MidFólkvangr.

It wasn't all clouds and pearly gates as Scarlett thought it was going to be. Rather, they'd found themselves in quite an expansive structure with marble pillars and soaring arches, towering stained glass windows varying from snow white to dark cream portraying cherubs and roses. Everything was light and airy, a sort of comforting luminosity to the strangely chaotic environment around them. There were dozens of Cupids with different colored wings, from the palest blue to a budding pink, some walking and others flying about. All of them seemed to be busy in one way or another and when they had rounded the corner, they'd found a tremendously huge globe in the middle of the foyer, spinning slowly with a few Cupids hovering near the top and pointing at different land masses.

"It's an important job," Freya had told them, "and all Cupids take it very seriously. To be an artisan in love is a difficult thing to accomplish, but the results are almost always satisfying."

"Almost?" Sebastian asked, hands in pockets as his head turned back and forth in curiosity.

"Well," Freya's glow had dimmed just a little, "not all couples stay together. That's no fault of any Cupids, of course, but it's always quite heartbreaking."

Now, Agent 004 and 005 were bickering as usual halfway into their lesson and Scarlett could only sigh in exasperation. All she and Sebastian had done for the past two days was learn.

That new Cupids could earn their wings by making at least five couples fall in love.

That a Cupid's bow was only for those that earned their wings.

That they were able to travel to Earth through teleportation, one of few gifts given to them once they began their duties.

It was exhausting.
Love was exhausting.

Or at least, Sebastian thought so.

"It's not just a jar. It's built specifically to carry Cupid dust and is perfectly indestructible. We threw a couple off the clouds once, so they're pretty solid." 005 said with a shrug.

He put the jar of pale pink dust back on his desk and leaned forward, eager to change the subject.

"Sooo...Cupid Agent 004. Your real name is Kat? Unless everyone just calls you by that long title like you're a drill sergeant."

"Yes it is." She said, turning back to the blackboard to erase the picture of a little carton devil Agent 005 had drawn.

"Was that your name on Earth?"

She laughed, although a little humorlessly.

"I forgot about my life on Earth a long time ago. It was," she peered at 005 who looked a bit grim, "not the greatest. So, there was no reason for me to keep that name."

"Well, why'd you pick Kat?"

"I'll tell you why." 005 interrupted with a sly grin. "It's the brooding main character of "10 Things I Hate About You.""

Scarlett perked up curiously. They've never elaborated on their own personal lives although they seemed to know almost everything about her and Sebastian's.

"Is that your favorite movie?" She asked.

"Her favorite?" 005 snorted. "She memorized it line for line and it only took her two weeks."

"I'm way more handsome than that Patrick guy, huh?" Sebastian whispered before posing for Scarlett.

She tilted her head.

"You actually kinda look like him."
"Really? I don't see it."

"Kat didn't like it for Patrick. She thought the small one was cute. The little Cameron boy."

Kat gave 005 a sharp look, one Sebastian found himself very acquainted with before she relaxed and leaned back, crossing her arms with a little smirk.

"As you already know, Dawson is his name. But, do tell us because I think it's a very interesting subject," she looked at him innocently, "why you chose Dawson?"

His self-satisfied grin disappeared and he mumbled something unintelligible.

"Come on, D." Kat urged. "Tell them where you got your name from." When he said nothing, her eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Fine. Dawson got his name from the "Titanic." He didn't like Jack so he used his last name. And he memorized it in three days. He even gave himself a good high-pitched Rose voice."

"I wanna hear the Rose voice." Sebastian whined.

"Alright, you slackers, enough teasing. Get back to class. I have to be somewhere." Dawson stood and sniffed pathetically. "Namely, my room. To salvage what's left of my ego."

"Jack!" Scarlett said loudly, bursting out of her chair with a face pulled in faux agony. "Oh, Jack!"

"Promise me, Rose." Sebastian lowered his voice and stretched out his hand to Scarlett. "And never let go of that promise."

Scarlett grabbed ahold of his hand, the other going up to lay across her forehead dramatically.

"I'll never let go, Jack! I'll never let go!"

The both of them collapsed into their seats in a fit of giggles and even Kat couldn't contain her laughter as Dawson nodded his head and huffed.

"Real funny, you clowns. And FYI," he pointed at Sebastian accusingly, "it's "promise me now, Rose." You uneducated fool."

With those being his final words, he turned on his heel and stomped out of the room, wings folded tight against his back.

"Hey, that was good." Sebastian said with a chuckle.

Scarlett bowed.

"That was all you, Sebby."

Kat watched curiously as Sebastian leaned back in his chair, his eyes wandering over the oblivious Scarlett's face with a small grin before his head fell into his crossed arms and the boy let out a loud groan.

"Is class over yet?"

That brought her back very quickly. She had already taught them most of what they were supposed to know, but—

"Oh! I almost forgot the most important part!"

She plucked the jar of Cupid dust from Sebastian's desk and held it up carefully.

"You always have to make sure that your clients are in full view of each other before starting the process. With the help of being obscured," she unscrewed the jar and carefully tipped a small amount of dust into her palm, "all you have to do is sprinkle it over their heads. You'll know whether one has a liking for the other or they have the capability of becoming partners because when you first see them, their cores will glow."

Kat laid her other hand over her chest and after a few moments, a soft blue radiance emanated from that area in the shape of a heart. They stared at it, mesmerized, before she lowered her hand and the glow disappeared.

"You match the colors of their cores. It may be a little overwhelming with people around so you really have to concentrate on the couple you pick and eventually the others will fade. Since there's two of you, you can both use one jar and do it at the same time. It'll take a few seconds, but you'll see the change in their complexion once they look at each other for the first time after being hit. The blush, the twinkle of the eye, the uncontrollable smiling. It's not permanent, but once your part is done the rest is up to them."

"Hit?"
"Is sprinkled better?"
"No, hit is good."

"Now," Kat poured the dust back into the jar, "I told you that you'd have three days to prepare before being sent out. This is your last day. How do you feel about that?"

"Meh." Sebastian muttered.

"Scarlett?"
"Uh...I guess I'm ready."

Kat nodded approvingly.

"I can trust you'll be able to handle Sebastian," the boy scoffed, "but me and Dawson will be watching from the sidelines. We won't always be available to you as we do have our own duties to attend to. Nevertheless, you'll have us if you ever have any questions. We can't actually interfere so think of us as more of a call center."

"Well," Sebastian propped his chin up on his hand, "that's mighty helpful."

"You do realize we're leaving soon, right?"

"What?"

"Come on!" Kat said with a clap of her hands. "We'll transport you to Earth. Dawson already taught you how to do that yesterday and your assignment was handpicked by the Head Cupid herself."

"But—"
"And don't be nervous! The first time is always a little hard, but you'll get used to it."

She waved her hand around once, producing a clipboard out of thin air and her eyes eagerly scanning over its contents. The air of excitement she had generated disappeared when she realized what their assignment was, but she quickly pasted an encouraging smile on her face as she looked at her pupils.

"Kat, you really think we're ready to make a couple of people fall in love? We're only teenagers, for Cupid's sake!" Scarlett cried.

"Cupids are teenagers, darling, with the exception of those that willingly age to where they want to. Like Dawson and I. Besides, you said you were ready."

"I take it back. I want more time."

"There is no time. You leave today. Every new Cupid goes through the required three days of classes before—"

"Before we're booted out on our butts to sprinkle fairy dust over adults?" Sebastian said sarcastically. "These requirements are getting ridiculous."

Kat, who would usually snark at him for such a comment, only raised her eyebrows.

"You think you're going to make adults fall in love?"

The pair exchanged confused glances.

"Oh, pumpkin, you really thought it would be that easy? Your assignment is "High School Sweethearts." The hardest kind of love to procure seeing as humans are at their most stubborn during this time in their life. How's that for ridiculous?"

"You're kidding." Scarlett groaned.

"I wish I was. Now, the both of you prepare for the trip. We leave in three hours and you'll have a full day on Earth before you have to begin your task."

"Can I ask where we'll be going?" Sebastian chimed in.

"We're going to Hawai'i. And the school you're charged to is called...," she looked down at her clipboard, "Pearl Grove High."

♡♡♡

for the record, Pearl Grove is absolutely not real lol—

speaking of, romance/rom-com movie names?
can this book be any more cheesier?