CHAPTER ONE:
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Clara had never been like any of the girls around her.

Many of them spent most of their time gushing about their partners or classmates that they 'like liked.' Why should she be like them when she more than happy to be on her own?

Love is a chemical defect, a mixture of Dopamine, Serotonin and Oxytocin, so why could she never hear the end of it?

Perhaps she couldn't fully comprehend it because her fifteen-year-old mind could not fathom the phenomenon that was love. Besides, how could someone so young possibly even begin to understand that romantic, fanciful sort of love that her friends gushed about?

A firm thump to the face broke Clara from her thoughts as an eager Lily whacked her with a cushion. 

"Ow. What was that for?" Clara whined as she rubbed her cheek while giving her red-headed best friend a sharp glare.

"Poor Alice here was trying to profess her undying love for Lucy to us, and you were in your head," she proclaimed while throwing a hand over her heart and swooning before continuing, "young love, oh how sweet!" She was failing to prove Clara's theory wrong; she was unquestionably a drama queen.

Clara could do nothing but roll her eyes and smirk at Lily's antics.

"Oh, Miss Melodramatic, I offer you my most sincere apology," she pronounced, mirroring Lily's voice while turning to face Alice. "I extend to you, my most profound regret for my behaviour. I will, of course, happily listen to you tell us of your one and only; your soulmate." 

The five other girls who were watching the exchange between Lily, Clara and Alice were in stitches as Clara bowed to Alice after her apology. She stooped so far that the blanket, which had formerly been warming her legs, had ended up on the floor, and she almost fell off her deck chair to get it back.

Soon, all the girls immersed themselves in thoughtful exchanges regarding their love lives. Well, not all of them. Once again, Clara remained silent throughout the conversation, distracted by her plans for the upcoming fourth edition of her newspaper. Journalism was much more important to her than relationships and love; on second thoughts, perhaps she too was suffering from the chemical defect- writing was her love. Even if thoughts of journalism had not engrossed her mind, Clara still wouldn't have engaged in the conversation, believing it to be rather cliché to share secrets sitting around a campfire under the stars in Tina's garden.

Much to her disappointment, her preoccupied state did not go unnoticed, and soon, she paid for her actions.

"Oh Claraaa... tell us about your fella," Lily demanded, a wistful look in her eyes.

Clara snorted while taking a gulp of Diet Coke, causing her nose to burn and sting. After taking a moment to recover, she averted her gaze from the small splash of Diet Coke on her shirt, and instead, turned her attention to her irritating best friend.

"You know I don't have one, nor do I want one," Clara stated rather pragmatically. "Besides, I don't need one," she added with a proud glint in her eye, hoping to proceed with her daydreaming- however, no such luck.

"Oh come onnn!" Lily pleaded with a small pout. 

"There's nothing to tell. Love is a mixture of-" 

"Dopamine, Serotonin and Oxytocin." The other girls finished Clara's sentence for her giggling to themselves as they did so.

"Well then, if you know that, then you know that I don't partake." With a silent prayer that she could end the conversation, Clara glanced around at the still giggling girls.

"Hmm, you're not getting away with it that easily Abbott. If you don't tell us which of the boys in our year you like the most, we won't give you your phone back," Tina insisted on behalf of the group.

"What are you talking about? You don't even have my pho- Oh, I hate you guys," Clara stated as she felt around in her very empty jacket pocket.

"Hmm, yeah. It would seem that it's easy to pickpocket you when you're distracted," Alice revealed with a chuckle.

Clara scowled at each one them for a good few seconds, her attention drifting from one girl to the next to ensure that all the girls received a glare.

"Tell us which guy you like, and we'll give it back to youuuu." Lily sang the last word, looking too pleased with herself as she waggled the phone in the air. Clara began to regret sitting so far away from Lily as it proved impossible to reach her phone from her seat.

Lily knew Clara's password. Lily knew that Clara knew that she knew the password; it was only a matter of time before she gave in to get her phone, and therefore her newspaper, back.

"Fine... umm... Adrian. Adrian Kirkman." Adrian's was the only name that she could remember since it was rare for her to talk to anyone at school other than her teachers and the seven girls around her; Adrian just happened to be the one she had spoken to most recently.

"Ooooo, Clara and Adrian, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Clara with a baby carriage!" By the end of the song, everyone but Clara had joined in and were laughing and giggling. Little did they know just how accurate that song would be, at least the first half.

Clara sighed and shook her head at her friends before burying her head in her hands with a groan.

"I need better friends," she grumbled into her hands, prompting Lily to stick her tongue out at her. Clara noticed through the gaps in her fingers and removed her hands to stick her tongue out right back. They beamed at each other after a brief stare-down, both of them unable to remain serious for long.

"I vow to never, ever fall in love," she stated as she tilted her head towards the clear, star-filled sky, a small part of her joking, the rest determined to never present them with the opportunity to sing that song again.

What none of them knew, was that Aphrodite had been listening in to their whole conversation, intrigued, and decided to take matters into her own hands. 

This fifteen-year-old was adamant to never fall in love, so it was Aphrodite's job to change her mind.

So, while looking down at the young girl, Aphrodite added her name to her list. 

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Ten years on, and Clara had kept that vow; she still hadn't ever fallen in love, and she convinced herself that it would remain that way forever.

Using just one hand a brief altercation with her keys, Clara managed to shove the front door open, her aching arms relieved when she could put her bags down. As was her daily routine, she sorted through the day's post after hanging her coat up.

The majority of the post was inconsequential, but just one letter stood out. It was in a handwritten envelope with her name scrawled on the front. There was no address, just her name with a small love heart. What on earth could it be? 

With cautious movements, Clara began to open the envelope and pull out the contents; it was a perfectly folded piece of paper. So, eager to read the letter, Clara unfolded it, only to hear a little clatter as a small item fell to the floor. As her eyes focused on it, she noticed a slight glint of light as of a ray of sun hit something.

A diamond.

While stooping to pick it up, she studied the strange item; it was a ring; a simple gold ring with a reasonably sized diamond in the middle. Had someone sent her an engagement ring?  Curiosity got the better of her, and she stood tall again to read the note. 

"Dear Miss Clara Abbott, 

I am delighted to inform you that you have been engaged. I wish you the best of luck with your new husband. 

Yours, Aphrodite."

"Wait, what?!"