Capítulo 2: Mr. Cupid

Wake up feeling my head throbbing, slowly open my eyes and they are blurry, ran my hand over my head felt that my hair was messy and that a big knot was forming in them, a typical characteristic of mine. Got up from the couch where I fell asleep last night and went to the bathroom mirror, when I saw my reflection I was surprised, there was a big dark circle under my eyes.

Splashed some water on my face to see if it would return to reality, as I still wasn't sure if what happened yesterday was real or a mid-life crisis in my eighteen years. In the midst of so many doubts I decided to take a very cold shower to escape my thoughts, but still the man with Dark hair and striking eyes does not leave my mind.

Quickly get out of the shower with the towel on my head and put on my old jeans and a striped T-shirt and head to the kitchen for breakfast. When I suddenly realized that there was a kind of magic mark or symbol on my wrist, I didn't know how to describe it.

Was sure it wasn't there before yesterday's event. I rubbed it with my fingers but it remained intact. It marked 12 hours written like a clock and every second that passed, decreased one of my subtotals, it was very strange it felt like something from another world.

I looked at my watch on the wall of my little thing and it said 8 o'clock in the morning, I think I had slept about 12 hours and had lost the same hours, because they had subtracted a few hours from my total of 24 hours.

At that very moment, my head contracted to make a great effort through the whirlwinds of thoughts, several questions and automatic answers crossed my mind. looked at the table in my tiny room, and saw the same paper from the night before that the man who claims to be Cupid himself gave it to me. It was wrapped like a parchment tied by a golden ribbon.

So what happened yesterday wasn't a hallucination?

Startled, sat on my pink sofa and took the paper undid the tie that held it and unrolled it. I read carefully what was written in large print when my eyes finished the sentence, my brain collapsed.

"List to fall in love in 24 hours!"

"Take a deep breath, Alice!" I speak to myself aloud "This is not the end of the world right?" I say, laughing nervously as I pace the room.

Run my hands through my wet hair, now without the towel that is likely to be lying in any corner of the house, take a deep breath twice before looking at the first item on the list.

Number 1 # Back to the past.

"Wow! Practical is easy, isn't it?" I say out loud, trying to believe that all this was just a big nightmare and that I not only had half a day to complete an entire list if it would not end like a lost soul.

Whoever sent it annoys Cupid Alice. Now bear the consequences - says my own conscience.

"Now how do I go back in time?" I wondered "Because I have 9 things on the list to do in 2019, On the day ..." I close my eyes "Damn! Wait a minute!"

Looked at the date again and didn't believe I would have to relive the fateful February 14, 2019 that spoiled what was my favorite holiday. Is it really a punishment from Heaven? Only can!

"I think now you believe that love exists" an unknown voice speaks behind me and I recognize it, although I only heard it once "Because I am a cupid, and I am real. Love is also."

"Really? Will you make me relive last Valentine's Day?" I asked in the hope that the answer was no, but the cupid who was lying comfortably in my armchair, rose gracefully to answer the opposite.

"Of courses! It was last year that you started to discredit the love and magic that the world has" talk looking at something behind me "Look how happy you were" point to a frame that had hung my most beautiful smile.

"I know" I say short and thick "Now tell me how I go back to the past and oh! ... also how to return to the present when this mission is over."

"Wow! you're smart" he says, suddenly stopping to face me "Think before you do anything."

"This is thanks to the many films and books I have read" I speak for myself "Now you will not answer me? How do I go to the past?"

"You will go into the past when you say the words. Reversusque est in tempore..."

"More than a strange language is that?" I ask interrupting the same.

"It's Latin let you know!" says pretending to be indignant.

"Continuing if you finish with the list everything will be back to normal, otherwise you will be stuck in time repeating the same day as in an eternal flashback and you will become a lost soul" he speaks calmly while completely analyzing my house with his eyes.

"Really!" I say surprised "What a motivation! My life practically depends on this mission" I speak in horror.

"You are not going to die or something" explains as if I were making a fuss about it "You will only be forced to vacate alone for eternity" the cupid says, shrugging at my surprise.

"So I won't waste time. Reverse..."

"Wait, wait!" he says getting up from my sofa, where he was lying less than 3 seconds "Before you go you need to know something important" he speaks while following me with his eyes when I go to my dressing table.

"Which is? speak up soon i have no time to waste" i say running my brush through my matted hair.

"Well ... that's it, what you are going to do is extremely important ...." looking at the ceiling of my kitchen.

" That is ..." I encourage you to speak, while looking for my red scarf because in London it is always cold, regardless of the year.

"It's your past and your story Alice. I don't know how it happened, but you were lucky, they gave you another chance, but if you don't do exactly what the list asks, you'll be stuck forever on Valentine's Day."

Ever. Ever. Ever.

My head repeated the word "Ever" that insisted on echoing endlessly, I couldn't think of the possibility of being stuck on Valentine's Day, the same day that I despised love with all my strength. It would be a long, cold, sad eternity, it would relive my big nightmare all the time and it definitely couldn't bear to be punished like that, so while I was in the past I wouldn't abuse my luck, I would do exactly what the list asked. I was immersed in my thoughts for a few seconds until I was pulled out of my little trance by the guy with the indecipherable eyes.

"Alice! Alice!" snap your fingers in front of my eyes - Is everything okay? he asks, looking concerned.

"Yes, it is. I think" I say, concentrating and thinking about what I was going to do "Thanks for letting me know, now excuse me" I speak by going to the door of my house, because I didn't want to go out into the past without taking a good look at the present.

"Good luck!" Cupid said before I went out the door.

"Thanks!" I thank and nod my head to the same one who waves back.

So trying to swallow my pride, I build up courage. Because what I was going to do in 2019 had no idea, it would certainly take a lot of patience and a lot of effort on my part not to screw it up. I opened the front door of the house, watching the beautiful London of 2020 remain the same.

"Reversusque is in tempore!" I screamed with fear.

The same moment that the words left my lips, a black hole formed under my feet and it seemed that no one on the street but me could see it, because people passed by on the sidewalk in a relaxed way as if it were a normal day of their lives. I was sucked without mercy by the black hole, and in a short time I found myself falling into a place that I think is the sea of time, because inside the hole was a huge blue sea of memories and they all belonged to me; words, thoughts and even phrases that I have spoken and lived in the past echoed from each wave.

I just don't remember how I didn't realize I was falling out of the sky again. Just remember feeling my body hit the ground and, to be honest, the thump was very painful. I looked around and saw trees, shops and buildings in complete harmony, everything was familiar and I realized I was on 34th Street, one of the busiest streets in London.

I got up slowly recovering from the fall and the water that had soaked my clothes a second ago had now completely evaporated, disappearing as if by magic giving way to a red dress. The same dress that I had spent all my savings of the year to buy, I ran my hand over the embroidery on the waist and contacted that it was real. I remember like it was today that I spent the whole morning like a fool planning the hot air balloon ride in the park that would be a surprise for my so-called Ex-Boyfriend.

The familiar noise of the old bell drew my attention to the flower shop "Flowers for the heart" marry's shop. A customer had just left the store with a bouquet of lilies and through the window of the window I saw my friendly grandmother packing a bouquet of red rose for another customer, I ran towards the store.

I really wanted to confirm that I Alice antonangeli had really come back in the past and just on that terrible day.

"Good morning, flower of the day" says Mary with a wide smile when she sees me entering the door "This beautiful dear" speaks looking me from head to toe

"Grandma fast! What year and day are we in?" I asked, taking a deep breath to recover from the mini jump run I had done half a second ago.

"Oh Alice Was thinking we need more helpers" speaks without paying attention to what I was talking about "I will put a poster to look for new employee what do you think?

"Grandma can pay attention to my previous question, please" i beg.

"What ?! What Day is Today?"

"Quick grandma I need to confirm something!"

"Today is Valentine's Day. Your favorite day of the year" says looking at me with a face as if to say "In what world do you live crazy"

"You are going to tell me you forgot?" asks crossing his arms "You spent this year 2019 planning surprises for that day" he says smiling and straightens his traditional hat, turning back behind the counter.

Jesus! I can't believe I went back in time!

"No grandma, I didn't forget" I sigh "Just wanted to confirm that we are really in 2019" I say seeing the calendar that Mary had on the counter with the fourteenth of February as a print

The flower shop and it was exactly the same, that place never changed it looked like it was stuck in time. Its extremely delicate decor with an air of 90's. The same tiles covered the store's walls, the pure wooden countertop remained in place, and the sweet small of flowers scattered around each corner of the store seemed to be part of the place.

"Honey, you are okay? Don't you have a fever?" puts her cold hands on my head measured at temperature "No. Nothing more abnormal" she comments playfully, as always.

Laugh shaking your head. As long as I can remember, my grandmother always liked jokes out of time, that was how she lived her life and that was what I admired most about her.

"Grandmother! Are you calling me abnormal?" I speak feeling my face forming a real smile, only my grandmother losing one of me.

"I'm just kidding" she says raising her hands up in surrender "Today you are off duty, try to go enjoying this beautiful day soon!" speaks by pushing me slightly

"But ..." try to speak.

"Nothing more. We only live once, don't waste your time with me" says one of his memorable phrases "I might as well take care of myself" turn to look me in the eye "I know you prepared a hot air balloon ride , go soon and enjoy the day with your loved one and don't forget the scarf."

Beloved? Ah if you only knew grandma.

"Thank you grandma" I kiss her on the forehead and head to the entrance to the flower shop, I didn't want to take my grandmother's hopes, but my ex dear had nothing.

Watched a lot of time travel movies more than a million times and I wouldn't risk putting the world upside down with a butterfly effect, simply telling my grandmother that I went back in time.

My grandma and I had become very close when on my tenth birthday my parents both busy as work forgot me at school, spent hours waiting for someone come to school to pick me up and sing congratulations with me.

Mary, as she likes to be called. Seems to have a sixth sense or something, because she came to meet me with her little blue bug and took me to her house.

That day she make a caramelizes apple cake with whipped cream on top, my favorite cake, For child who never received the attention of his parents, that simple act made my days as happy as possible.

With a smile on her face and forehead stained with flour, Mary placed the crooked candles on the cake while her blurred vision made her think. she had placed the candles straight, i would do nothing but laugh.

It was on that same day that I took my first photo, a photo of the cake with the candles bent like the tower of Pisa, remember capturing the moment when the whipped cream drips on the cake because of the heat of the candles.

My terrible birthday ended with my grandfather doing his classic funny riddles, then mary put me to sleep as his warmest blanket in the house and told a long story and falling asleep listening to her sweet voice.

"You are very special, my little girl. I knew that from the first moment I saw you"