Please send feedback and I hope you enjoy! Also, before I start, this fanfiction is going to be in the present.

Melanie

If you asked me, I'd say my life was just okay. My job is fine, Schaffer is usually on my tail about my outfits and unruly behaviour, but it's old news by now. I had fun with Roni occasionally, and she still ignores me when I ask her out.

My life is okay, but I'm being kept on a leash. I can't travel like I want, Roni won't acknowledge me unless I'm tangled in her bedsheets, and Schaffer tells me to stop partying every night, but I always tell him something like 'Old habits die hard,' or I'll mutter 'You can't tell me what to do.'

I'm not sure what I was doing yesterday to give myself a hangover as bad as this, but I think I was at Roni's place. Schaffer always told me to stay away from her, but I ignored him, as always.

I don't remember when or how I met him, but he was a mentor to me, always. He offered me a job when I told him I was having trouble paying rent, so he offered me a spare room at the inn for less than an apartment cost, and got me a job at his diner.

He tries to teach me things like how to cook and clean and all this, but I only try to do what I'm paid to do. It's like he's training me to be a servant.

Instead, I like taking pictures. I've been trying to take online college classes to get better and find my footing, but I barely have any time. Schaffer sometimes lets me take a day off when I have important papers due soon, and I'm grateful for all his help, but I don't think he likes my career choice at all.

He's training me to run the diner when he retires, but I refuse to take it seriously. I don't want to be tied down anymore than I am in this town.

I balanced the glasses of water and chocolate milk on my tray, and the clock struck five. I hurriedly gave them their drinks, snapped my apron off from around my waist, and ran out the door, calling back to Schaffer that my time was up and that I'd see him soon.

I passed Micheal and his son Aaron on the street, holding a lollipop in his small fingers.

"Hi, Aaron," I greeted sweetly, crouching in front of his face framed by red hair that almost matched my red streaks in my own hair.

"Hi, Miss Lucas!" I smiled kindly up at his father before replying.

"Please, call me Melanie." He smiled bigger.

"I got a lollipop," he exclaimed, taking it out of is mouth and showing it to me.

"Ooh, that looks delicious. What flavour is it," I asked.

"It's…orange." He looked up to his father, who nodded back at him.

"We better get going now, Aaron. Say goodbye to Melanie."

"Bye Melanie," he called. His father nodded courteously and took the boy's hand. They weren't the most fortunate of families, but she could tell that Micheal was really happy, money or not.

I continued on to the Rabbit Hole. I saw a few familiar faces blur past me, but I kept going, I needed to see Roni.

She was sliding a bottle of beer to a plump, intoxicated-looking man staring straight at the cleavage poking out of her white t-shirt. She ignored his drunken stare and popped an almond from the basket at the bar into her mouth. I ignored the hopeful feeling tugging at my insides and walked up to her.

"Can I get a burger please?" Her head snapped up to look at me. Her dark eyes glowered at my face and over my red outfit.

"Fine," she mumbled. She wrote something out on a notepad and went to find Riley. She might've been really clumsy in high heels, especially when carrying a tray of shots, but she was an excellent cook. Out of all the jobs she could've gotten in town, she chose the one that involved drinking and social interaction, which was surprising, coming from the shyest person I've ever met. But then again, this town was too small to know many more people.

Roni came back out with a glass of dark liquid grasped in her fingertips, swishing around seductively.

"You look like you could use this," she said.

"Thanks?" I took a quick sip and waited for the burn down my throat, but it never came. Instead, it was sweet.

"Apple juice? Really?"

"We had some extra juice in the back, and you really did look like you could use it." She was barely smiling at me, but it was clear she had trouble keeping her face straight. I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you bother wearing that half-outfit in here anyway? You know how many drunk and horny men come in here looking for as much skin as possible."

"Half-outfit?"

"Well, it covers only half your body." I instinctively pulled my shirt down further down to cover my stomach from her dark stare.

"I wear these all the time, why stop now?" She looked like she was considering it and took a swig of scotch from her own glass.

"Are you free tomorrow," I asked,"I have a day off work, and I was wondering if-"

"No. I told you. I don't do dates." My shoulders fell and my bottom lip quivered just a bit.

"Maybe you might after you take you out one." She glared at me.

"No."

"Then what do you do?"

"You. I do you. That's all."

"C'mon, it'll be fun. Why not get out of the bar for a bit?"

"Because this bar means more to me than you do," she replied coldly. I flinched and gave her five dollars, climbing off my bar stool and leaving for the door.

"Wait," she called out. I stopped a foot from the door and pivoted in my red sneakers.

"Fine. I better be pretty damn impressed."

"I can pick you up at four," I said. I flashed her a bubbly grin and left. When I got away from the window facing the sidewalk, I pumped my fist and skipped home with so much enthusiasm, Roni would cancel immediately.

Roni

I was losing my focus on reality. The effects of the curse were slowly consuming my mind with more fake memories than real ones. Going out with Melanie was all part of the curse, I had just been rejecting everything the curse wanted me to do, until the consequences waltzed in with fake memories to give me and force-fed them down my throat.

I bent over the counter in my bathroom to fix my makeup in the smudged mirrors. I tousled my hair once more before adjusting my dress and descending the stairs to Melanie's scarlet Camaro.

"Hi," she said in a cheery voice that made me want to throw up cotton candy. She handed over a single rose to me, as red as I imagined her heart to be.

"Alright then, dear, you told me you could make me enjoy myself on this date, so blow my mind." She leant over across the seat and laid her hand on my thigh, leaning in to kiss me.

"Not like that." She grumbled and faded forward, hiding her grimace behind a pair of sunglasses. She put the car in drive and sped off.

"Where to first," I asked.

"I thought we could go for a walk," she said, turning into the parking lot of the inn.

"Down Main Street?"

"Yes. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I guess." She took her keys and walked around to the other side of the car to let me out. I smiled lightly at her and grabbed her arm to tangle in mine. Her head shot up like I burned her, but instead of pulling away from me, she beamed at me.

The spring sun shone down on our faces and a small breeze swept through her long, curly hair.

"Want to stop for ice cream," she asked, pointing at the small ice cream shop in front of us.

"Sure, why not." I let her drag me in and watched her face light up again at the sweets. If I actually enjoyed myself, I'll have to remember that she loves ice cream, or anything that makes her eager like this.

"What are you having," she asked over her shoulder.

"Mm, vanilla," I said. She looked at me like I hit the windshield of her car with a bat.

"Out of all these choices, you choose the most boring flavour?"

"Classic," I corrected. She shook her head.

"Boring. Come on, you should try something new. How about peanut butter?"

"Too salty."

"Bubblegum?"

"Too sweet."

"How about coffee? You like coffee, I've seen you drink it before."

"Fine, I'll get the coffee, now get off my case about ice cream." She backed away and giggled. I couldn't help but playfully smile back.

"Next time you're with me when we're getting ice cream, I'm making you get something more daring than coffee." She spat the word like it was a horrible book she read.

"Next time?" She didn't listen.

"You seem like a rocky road gal, or maybe tutti frutti."

"Melanie, stop. If it'll make you stop complaining, I'll get rocky road." I could see her physically trying to stop herself from jumping up and down.

"Thank you," she said in a high voice she spoke in earlier when she saw the ice cream. She hugged me, and I froze up.

"What was that for," I asked after she unwound her arms from around my waist.

"Because." She went up to the counter and ordered.

"I'll pay," I told her, sliding over my credit card to the woman with dark brown hair and dressed in a pink frilly dress that a nine-year-old would be jealous. I could tell she was Bo Peep.

"I had it under control," she whispered, but I was the one who refused to listen. I waved her off as she stared at me in half-shock, half-amusement. She gave it back to me and handed us our ice cream. Red dragged me back out of the store.

"How does it taste," she asked hopefully.

"Relax for a second, I haven't tried it yet." I tentatively licked the chocolate ice cream.

"That's actually really good," I whispered in defeat. She grinned and giggled.

"I told you so," she bragged.

"Shut up," I ordered half-heartedly. she kept laughing and sang We Are the Champions as we walked back down the street.

"To the woods," she sang at the sky playfully.

"What's in the woods?"

"Our next destination for our date."

"Really? You could've told me to bring proper shoes at least."

"Your ankle boots are fine," she said,"we'll be going on the trail for most of it anyway."

"Most of it?" She turned her head and grinned wide and cautious, waiting for my response. I just tugged her closer with my right arm, while my left held my ice cream.

She led me through the shrubs and up the trails, pushing back tree branches blocking our way and breathed deeply.

"This is somewhere you go often?"

"Yeah, mostly to take pictures."

"Oh, yes, your photography. How's that going?"

"It's okay I guess, but the class I'm taking is getting harder."

"Photography seems like a hard talent, though. You should be proud you can do it."

"I am, it's just I don't think I'll be able to get farther than I am."

"I'm sure you'll get farther." She turned to look at me and both smiled and shivered at the same time.

"You should've worn something warmer if you knew we were going to be out here in the evening."

"I know, but I risked it all so you could see more of me," she said in a seductively low voice. It worked, and I couldn't help but pay attention to the way her jean shorts sat on her hips, or the bit of stomach peeking out from her shirt.

"Of course, 'cause that's worked well before."

"Well, it did last time."

"Oh, sure," I said, gradually leaning closer to her ear. "And I deducted you with my kindness."

"You're many things, but 'kind' is not one of them."

"Exactly," I whispered. She swallowed thickly and held me tighter. The sun was setting once she veered me off the trail near a wildly disfigured tree and to a little alcove of tranquility hidden among the trees.

String lights hung above our heads in the trees, a blanket was laid out in the centre of the space with a wicket basket on top. A speaker was right beside the blanket, currently turned off. I audibly gasped, something I didn't do a lot.

"Mind blown yet," she asked casually, but I could tell her heart was racing; I had that effect on people.

"Yes," I said, before I felt my wrist being pulled onto the blanket. She was giggling as she turned on the music and pulled out takeout from my own bar.

"Where d-"

"Riley hooked my up with some burgers and fries. And a bottle of wine she accidentally ordered too much of." I couldn't get the wide grin off my face as she poured me a glass.

"Congratulations, Miss Blanchard, you succeeded in blowing my mind."

"Thank you, Miss Mills. I'd like to thank my parents, my f-"

"Shut up and pour me wine." She passed me a glass and poured one for herself.

"Thank you, for today. I had a lot of fun."

"I think that's the first time I've heard you say 'thank you' before."

"Yes, well you might get used to it." Melanie beamed at me and raised her glass.

"To new beginnings," she said.

"Yes." I didn't pay any attention to how that worked two ways, and slipped my sweet wine before rummaging around in the basket.

"Yes, I know you like salads more than hamburgers, but I was hoping you would try a burger. If you don't like it, you can have the salad I packed."

"You want me to try so many things today," I said, laughing. I paid no heed to my heart's health right now and unwrapped the burger from the tinfoil. She watched attentively as I took a bite.

"Again, not bad. Thank you."

"Yes," she hissed to herself. "If you're not careful, I might make you like everything I have you try."

"Oh, definitely not. You're just lucky you found something I'd like." I took another bite and savoured each bit of pickle, cheese, meat, and ketchup. "Maybe it's just Riley's cooking." She laughed.

"Well, she is a great cook."

I finished my burger and fries faster than I would like to admit, but it was all worth it when Melanie asked me to dance.

"Do you even have any slow songs," I asked once some pop song came blasting through the speaker.

"I do. You shouldn't expect so less of me." She was right, my entire opinion of her changed in the span of four hours, but that may very well be the curse memories lessening my hate for her. She tapped a few times on her phone, and a slow song played.

"Care to dance with me," she asked, standing up and offering me a hand.

"Of course, Miss Blanchard." She led me up and off the blanket and I wrapped my arms around her waist, while she grabbed my shoulders.

"Thank you for making today special," Melanie said quietly.

"Of course." We danced along to the tender voice and soft piano until it was over.

"Another dance," I asked. She nodded her head and changed the music to another song.

We ended up dancing for an hour, and ended it by my cupping her cheek and leaning down to kiss her addictively warm lips and soft skin, relishing the way she hummed when I kissed her throat, or her soft moans when I slipped my tongue in her mouth. I could listen to her forever, spend the rest of my days eating burgers in this isolated square of forest, dancing with her and earning sweet kisses that tasted of red wine and brownies.