Cupid (Sammy's POV)

"Cupid doesn't lie
But you won't know unless you give it a try
Oh baby, true love won't lie 
but we won't know unless we give it a try
give it a try" Cupid by 112

"Are you doing the girl thing?" Corey asked me as he got dressed to go to work Friday afternoon. I admired his tattoos before he covered them up in his slim black pants and blue polo: his work uniform as a pharmacy tech.

"What girl thing?" I asked, looking at the clock. I had enough time to get some rest before I had to meet Jeff at a party the Honey B's were bartending.

"Saying you don't want to do anything for Valentine's, when you secretly do." He said, pushing his feet in his beat up Vans.

I rolled my eyes. "Valentine's Day is stupid. Just an excuse to sell overpriced, meaningless shit to prove you love someone."

"You don't like any of that overpriced, meaningless shit?" Corey raised an eyebrow at me.

"Hell yes! Assorted chocolates. I get it on side chick day- the day after Valentine's when it's cheap!" I smirked, kneeling on the bed to give him a goodbye kiss.

"You know you're my main chick." Corey said, putting his arms around my hips.

I bit my lip to hold back my smile.  I knew I was his only chick. He made that clear to me before we had sex: There would be no one else. The first time was on Thanksgiving. Not a sexy holiday: we spent Thanksgiving together with his friends and it was so nice.

Nice was something I wasn't used to. My mom and dad married young because they got pregnant with me. It was clear they stuck together out of obligation, not love. They never fought or argued. What could they argue about when they hardly spoke? They coexist to keep up the appearance of a happy home. It was depressing to say the least. I always wondered what changed so drastically so that two people that loved each other enough to get knocked up now no longer wanted to be in the same room as each other.

The holidays was the only time we actually spent time together. On holidays, I had to pretend like we were a happy family. On the outside, we were a regular, loving family. It was fucking disgusting, but I kept up appearances.

Corey understood that. He was an only child whose parents should have divorced too. Instead, they fought viciously about everything leaving Corey to be the referee or the pawn in their battles. Then, they called truce and the whole cycle started all over again. Corey had to pretend that he wasn't living in a war zone. He coped with drugs, alcohol and music.

On Thanksgiving, we both blew off our fucked up families in favor of friends at Jordan's and Derek's apartment. The only pretending I had to do was fake like I made an apple pie, which technically, I did. It was the frozen kind, but I had to bake it!

Everything was so normal. It made me realize I could have that with Corey. As soon as we got back to my apartment, I pounced on him. He stopped us though, saying that sex would change things and he wanted to make sure I knew what that meant. I wasn't sure, sex was just sex, but I convinced him I was. By New Year's, I knew I wanted more than sex. I wanted to be in a relationship with him, so we made it official.

"Fuck Valentine's Day. Besides, your main chick has to work." I said, putting a cheerleader preppy fake smile on my face as I placed my hands on his shoulders.

He eyed me suspiciously and I kissed him hard on the lips. I swirled my tongue in his mouth, seducing him. When he grabbed my ass, I pushed him away.

"Bye!" I said, flopping on the bed, burying myself under the covers. I smiled as he pulled on a hoodie.

I was sure that he was wondering whether I really had to work or not. Truth is, I didn't have to. I planned to check in on my new girls at their event so I wouldn't have to deal with the bullshit that was Valentine's Day.

I watched Corey as he left. Covered up, his piercings and tattoos hidden, he looked completely non-descriptive. A skill we both mastered growing up: the ability to adapt and blend in like a chameleon. I just camouflaged my hatred of Valentine's Day with a disguise of hard-working girlfriend.

The only difference was Corey revealed his true self to me. I was one of the lucky few he was openly honest with. Not sure why me, but I appreciated it, even if I wasn't going to do the same for him.

After resting, aka playing on Facebook, I got dressed to meet up with Jeff at a convention building in Irving. We were hosting a Valentine's themed birthday party for a big lawyer in the DFW area. He was one of those lame, ambulance chaser guys whose commercials played constantly on the radio, but he had money, and connections. So on top of providing kiss ass service, Jeff and I needed to network.

"Samantha, you look nice." Jeff said.

I held back the urge to roll my eyes. His compliments were a double edged sword. It was his way of putting me in my place: as eye candy only.

Technically, we had the same title, but because he was a man and most likely did not sleep with the boss, he considered himself above me. I worked hard bringing in new business and finding new girls to keep him in his place: the same fucking level as me.

"Thanks." I said, straightening out the collar of my red sheer blouse. It fell conservatively over my black leggings, looking both festive but professional. "I'm going to check on the girls."

After making sure the bars were set up properly and spending a little extra time with Rose, our newest Honey B, I joined Jeff who was schmoozing with the man of the hour. Even with a wedding ring on his finger, he had no problem making a pass at me.

I turned on the charm, making sure I gave him my business card with my 2nd phone number, assuring him it was my personal line. I made the rounds before leaving.

I took a long, hot shower when I got home. I really did mean what I said earlier to Corey: Fuck Valentine's Day. Tonight just confirmed my convictions that Valentine's Day was a bullshit holiday. Even a holiday dedicated to love wasn't enough to keep a married man from trying to get pussy on the side. Nothing lasts forever. I knew love was not an exception. Why have a holiday dedicated to it?

Saturday, I woke up and sent a thank you e-mail to the lawyer we hosted for the night before. I called Rose next to see how her first night went. She told me it went fine and the other girls were helpful. I told her to give me a call if she needed anything.

I was trolling Facebook for potential new girls when Corey called.

"Want some company?" He asked.

"Sure, I can hang out. I still have to work tonight." I warned him.

"Gotcha."

30 minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I went to great lengths to show I didn't care about the stupid holiday with my appearance. I didn't even put on make-up or brush out my hair. I wore a loose, orange cotton dress and purple fuzzy socks. I was dead serious about not leaving or celebrating.

Corey was standing at the door wearing a white t-shirt and black cargo pants. He obviously had the same plans of just chilling with me. The only thing that peaked my interest was a backpack he had slung on his back.

"What's in the bag?" I asked, nosily.

"Don't worry about that." He moved past me, straight to the living room.

I followed him and watched as he pulled out a red, flannel blanket. He spread it out on the floor, smoothing it out between the couch and the TV.

I smirked as he sprinkled a bag of rose petals on the blanket. He then grabbed a few cushions from the couch and put them on the blanket. He pulled out heart shaped candles and lit them, setting them on the entertainment center.

Lastly, he pulled out an arrangement of foods: Taquitos, Doritos, popcorn chicken and apple soda. All my favorites. After he poured the soda in red and pink heart covered glasses, he patted the cushion next to him.

"Come sit." He said.

"I told you I didn't want to do anything for today." I crossed my arms.

"You're not. We're eating. Gotta eat before you work right?" He said.

"What's up with the hearts and decorations and shit?"

"$5 dollars at the 99 cents store. No overpriced meaningless shit. Now come eat."

I couldn't argue with that. Sneaky bastard. I joined him on the pallet on the floor. I was eating and telling him about the scummy lawyer at the party when Corey pulled out a big ass  box of Lindt chocolates.

"That was not at the 99 cent store!!!" I pointed out.

"Nope, but it's all yours if you tell me why you wanna work so badly tonight." Corey bargained.

"You don't believe I have to work?" I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to contradict me.

I didn't necessarily blame him if he thought I was lying. I burnt that bridge when I lied to him before about working, but he told me he trusted me, so he should. I would rather discuss that than my disdain for the Valentine's.

"I believe you want to work. I want to know why." Corey stated, laying back casually, watching me.

Fuck! If there was one thing that bugged me about Corey it was his ability to read me. When I first met him, he let me do all the talking. It gave me a false sense of security that I had him wrapped around my finger like most guys wanting to get laid. That couldn't be further from the truth: he actually listened and observed me. Even when I tried to hide my true feelings, he saw through me now.

"I don't know. I just never got into Valentine's Day." I said, taking a long sip of my soda.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Girls like me didn't get asked out for Valentine's." I confessed.

Booty calls, yes. Fuck buddies, absolutely. Romantic dates for Valentine's Day? Not a chance in hell. Sluts weren't good Valentine's date. I got branded with the title slut the summer before my freshman year in high school.

Truthfully, I only slept with one guy. He just happened to be the boyfriend of one of the popular girls at school. I didn't know that at the time, but of course I was the slut while he was the innocent victim. She and her friends made my freshman year a living hell. I was so embarrassed and ashamed when the rumors about my 'slutty' behavior got around the school.

They eventually got to my mom as well.

My mom just put me on birth control. She didn't even ask me if the rumors were true. After that, I was completely done with my family. My dad stayed too buried in work to be bothered with me and my mom's only concerned was that I didn't come home pregnant and ruin the facade of her perfect family.

I did any and every thing just to stay out of my house and away from my parents. That included fucking the boyfriends of the girls that tortured me. I figured they already labeled me as one, I might as well embrace the role of slut.

It was easier to be a slut than an outcast. At least I made friends with the other 'bad girls'. We never got asked out. We would compete to see who could conquer the cutest guy or what we could get guys to do for us. I didn't wait for guys to choose me. I sought them out.

"What do you mean girls like you? Hot? 'Cause those girls get asked out first." Corey smiled.

"Sluts. We're fun to fuck, but not to date. I barely got a thank you, much less a box of Chocolate." I admitted, smiling wryly at him.

"Why would you call yourself a slut?" Corey questioned, sitting up and opening the chocolates.

"Because I am. I don't even remember half the guys I slept with." I told him honestly.

"All that shit is in the past." Corey said, offering me a chocolate.

I looked away from him. "I doesn't change who I am or what I've done."

"Do you think I'm an addict?"

I shook my head no. "No, you haven't drank or done drugs in years. I know you're not an addict."

"How is that any different from what you did? If you don't hold it against me, why do you hold it against yourself?" Corey asked.

I was stumped. I didn't have a good answer so I just sat there.

He pressed a chocolate to my lips. I parted my lips and he placed it in my mouth. I chewed the milk chocolate truffle and sighed happily.

"I did good?" Corey smiled.

"You did alright. Kinda cheesy." I grinned.

"You know you love it." Corey replied.

I laughed. "No, I love you, there's a difference." I argued, before I realized what I said. I tried to stay relaxed as blood rushed to my cheeks.

Corey just smirked and grabbed another piece of chocolate. He pulled it away from my lips when I tried to eat it.

"Call in." He said.

"Why?"

"'Cause I want to prove to you how much I love you with cheap Valentine's Day shit." He teased.

I smiled. "Be right back."

He gave me the chocolate and I went into my bedroom and sent a quick group text to the girls working the party to call me if they needed anything.

I looked myself over in the mirror before deciding against dressing up. There was really no need for it. Apparently, Corey loved what he saw.

I was going to give it a try.