Think with your heart

**Emilie's POV**

I stare at Maximus in disbelief. First I'm turned into a "messenger of Eros", and then now I'm given some weird gift, a superpower dare I say. I let out a sarcastic laugh.

The gift that just keeps on giving huh?!

"Next you're going to tell me I'm immortal." I joke, but my smile falters as I see the serious expression on Maximus' face. I squeeze my eyes shut, praying this is all a bad dream.

"What did you think Octavia meant when she said we weren't coming back human," Daniel says coldly, his face a mask of boredom. I feel my annoyance with Daniel to rise at a dangerous rate.

"How the hell was I supposed to know Daniel?" I snap."It's not like we changed or morphed into whatever shit Maximus is into."

"We're freaking Cupids, Emilie. I shouldn't have to spell it out to you. And it's your fault we're even in this mess in the first place. If you weren't so brazen and curious, we would have gone back to barely knowing each other!"

I give Daniel a dumbfounded look.

"You're the asshole everyone says you are. It's not my fault you're so boring. I bet you have no friends and don't know the definition of fun!" I yell in frustration.

I inwardly cringe at my last statement, but judging from Daniel's red face, it seems I've hit a nerve. I can't help but feel a little victorious.

Daniel looks like he's about to say something, but is ultimately cut off by Maximus.

"Enough of this nonsense. We don't have much time before hate and teenage angst fills these halls. We need to train now," Maximus gives both of us a hard stare. "And that means you both need to get along. Understood?"

"Whatever." I mutter as Daniel simultaneously says "Okay."

"Good." Maximus attempts to smile but fails miserably. His usual scowl returns to his face."Now sit. Both of you"

Daniel and I grumpily take a seat on the floor.

"Alright, Emilie, can you tell us what you remember from The Decree of Eros?"

"Well, I remember something about the origin and need for Cupids, something like what I've done in my History class. Oh and a bunch of rules for Cupids."

Maximus nods, satisfied."And you realise these rules cannot be bent or changed. Eros handpicked them himself."

Even that weird rule about Cupids not being allowed to fall in love with other Cupids?

I'm really starting to second guess the good in Eros' rule.

"Uh yeah," I reply stiffly.

"I'm going to need you to send the PDF to Daniel as well, so he can take a look at it."

My gaze falls on Daniel and he immediately scowls at me. I huff, resisting the urge to stick my tongue out at him.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask. What happened to the other Cupids guiding this place." I say to Maximus, tearing my gaze from Daniel.

Maximus has a distant look in his eyes before he replies."I don't know."

An unnerving silence falls on us, and I feel a shiver run down my spine. Something doesn't feel right about this. I can somehow sense Daniel's concern, though he masks it well.

"Anyway," Maximus destroys my train of thought with his booming voice."I'm going to need you to do this test for me."

A huge smile spreads across my face as I imagine us in combat. Swords, knives, guns maybe? The possibilities were endless. Would we get cool matching suits in red?! That would be so freaking cool-

"You have 30 minutes to answer these objective-based tests." Maximus deadpans.

Objective-based tests?!

Maximus snaps his fingers and two freshly printed paper sheets filled with options and choices falls on our laps. I groan in frustration. I did not just become immortal to do school work again!

Daniel, on the other hand, had started, and he looked like he was having...fun?

I hiss in annoyance as I skim through my questions.

"How many crushes have you had in your lifetime." Easy!

I shade the box with 'infinity'

Thirty minutes flies by pretty quickly. I go over to Maximus, smiling like a little girl. He gives me a puzzled look before taking the paper from my hands. My smile falters as I see Daniel's paper already in his hands. The sly fox finished before!

I go back to sit on the floor in defeat as I eagerly wait for Maximus to finish marking. It doesn't take long before he's done. He looks at us with such a serious expression, I can only assume one of us failed terribly. Or both.

"Emilie," he starts but stays quiet. I take a sharp intake of air, frustrated with this suspense. "You passed. You got a good 86%, but there's still room for improvement."

I let out a squeal in delight. I never win anything, I'm so happy!

"Daniel," Maximus keeps that stupid serious face again. "You failed, like really bad. You got a 45%. A lot of improvement needed."

Daniel and I let out a "What?!" at the same time, and I can't deny the pure joy that washes over me.

"Finally." I scream, "Finally better than you at something Daniel Kim!"

Maximus tries but fails to conceal his laughter. Daniel's face turns red.

"How did I fail and she passed? Huh?!" Daniel barks at Maximus. Maximus regains his usual posture, with his usual serious face.

"Easy, you're not thinking with your heart Daniel."

Daniel looks taken aback for a moment before a scowl returns to his face.

"What do you mean 'thinking with your heart'." Daniel retorts.

"It means what it means," Maximus replies back sharply. "Emilie, I've assigned you to make Daniel act like an actual human being with feelings."

Before Daniel and I could get a word in, Maximus gives us a wavering gesture. "You start tomorrow. Your session is over, you may leave now."

I swallow my words and reach for my bag. I can't believe I have to babysit Daniel tomorrow. When will I get the chance to write and help Dad with the bakery? Gosh, when did my life get so complicated?

Daniel gives me a little shove as he moves past me and I realise we haven't figured out Daniel's gift yet.

Maybe it's being a complete jerk? We may never know.

I go over to the exit and open the door. To my surprise and disdain, it's someone I did not want to see for a while.

"Heyyy you," I say awkwardly.

"I was just trying to see Mr Clark before he leaves," she says cooly. Right, Mr Clark.

"Well, it was nice seeing you Emilie." and with that, she moves past me and I feel a tingling sensation that disappears as quickly as it came.