Playing Cupid

by SC Alban

  “Hey, don’t hate on the phone. I think I speak for teens everywhere when I say that the smartphone is quite possibly the cleverest distraction ever invented.”

  Distraction? What did he need distracting from? As if seeing my train of thought, he cleared his throat and held up his right hand as if taking the Boy Scout oath. “I solemnly promise I will not bail for at least fifteen minutes, nor so much as peek at my phone screen. After that, no guarantees.”

  He flashed an impish grin. The frost that nipped at my nose and fingertips melted a bit at his promise. He held out his hand in a swooping gesture.

  “After you,” he said politely.

  I took the invitation and began walking.

  “So,” I began. “What are you doing out here today? Last minute shopping? I know it can’t be because you have an insatiable need for fried food. It’s stinkin’ cold out today.”

  “Umm, have you had the fries from Dave’s?” he asked, opening the bag and offering its contents to me.

  I reached in and grabbed a couple. They were hot to the touch. Popping them into my mouth, I realized just how hungry I was. I reached into the bag and grabbed a few more.

  “Okay,” I admitted. “Those might be worth braving a blizzard.”

  “Told you.” He smiled, offering the bag again. I helped myself. “So now you know why I’m here. The question remains, why are you here? Most people would be home with their families, watching Netflix or something.”

  “You’re funny,” I snorted. “Not in my house.”

  He stopped walking and turned to face me. My eyes found the sidewalk as I shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly feeling exposed under his gaze.

  “That’s not what happens at your home?”

  I shrugged. “Not really,” I said, holding back a sarcastic laugh. “Not anymore.”

  The silence between us stretched.

  “Then tell me,” he said as he turned forward and started walking again.

  Thankful to be moving, I kept pace and followed him toward the center of the square.

  “Tell you what?”

  “What happens at your house?”

  “Personal much?”

  When he didn’t respond, I sighed. What did it matter if I told him the truth? It’s not like I’d be going back to school.

  “Um, I don’t know,” I began. “It’s just…after, my dad kind of stopped paying attention. Not that he completely ignores me. I mean, we still talk…sometimes, and he keeps the house running and all. I’m not totally forgotten, I guess. There’s still Christmas and birthdays. But I don’t know, we just don’t…talk. It’s like we’re strangers. It’s too hard. It’s like he died, too.”

  I stopped walking. Whoa. I sucked in a thin breath through my teeth. What the hell did I just say? Out loud? I’d thought all that had been long-since buried. And to say it to Jay? Of all people? Why him? There hadn’t been anyone I’d felt I could open up to before. Not even my middle school counselor.

  “But he still loves you,” he said, snapping me out of my shock. “You must know that.”

  I snorted as I continued walking. Jay followed.

  “Yeah, sure, in his way, I suppose. But it doesn’t matter either way. I mean, what’s the point of loving someone if it brings up painful memories?”

  “Maybe the point is to remind us there are two sides to everything. It makes us more appreciative of the loving part; you know, knowing at any minute, it could all end. That’s what helps us live in the moment.”

  I turned to look at him.

  “How can you believe that? How can you put all your faith into something that could cause you more hurt than you’ll ever know?” I searched his face for an answer.

  His eyes grew sad.

  “I don’t know how I can. I just do.”

  “Doesn’t it scare you?”

  “Of course it scares me. But being alone, really alone, terrifies me more.”

  “Hmm.”

  We walked until we reached the town square. Crumpling up the empty fry bag, he shot it towards a garbage can about twenty feet away. The bag sailed past the can, landing underneath a bench. I raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Nice shot, team captain.”

  “I admit, that was horrible. Your turn.”

  He ran over and grabbed the bag from the ground. Returning to my side, he held out the makeshift paper basketball to me. I took the bag from him and turned toward the can. Taking a moment to aim, I hurled the ball toward the target. It landed in a nearby bush. I scrunched up my nose and looked at Jay.

  “That was just as bad as my shot. No, worse.”

  I playfully jabbed him in the ribs.

  “Totally not fair. I don’t even play.”

  He laughed and collected the trash. He held the paper ball over the can and dropped it in with a smile before joining me once more.

  “Hey, I have an idea. C’mon,” he said suddenly.

  He grabbed my arm and ran towards the ledge of the massive fountain smack dab in the middle of the square. A small squeal escaped my lips as I followed him willingly, caught up in the excitement of not knowing what was about to happen. When we reached the low ledge, he stopped and released my arm. I peered in. The shallow fountain water had a thin layer of ice on its surface.

  “You wanna make a wish?” he said, reaching into his pocket.

  I gave him a side-glance. “Um, sure, I guess.”

  After a few seconds more of searching, he pulled out a nickel. He lifted one shoulder.

  “It’s gotta be worth two wishes, at least,” he said, smiling. “We could split it.”

  I raised my eyebrows.

  “Split a wish?” I asked, my voice skeptical. “That’s not even a thing.” I shook my head but didn’t try to hide my growing smile. “So, hypothetically speaking, how does this work…this wish-splitting?”

  His grin reached from ear to ear. He held up his palm, the nickel sitting in the center. “Here, give me your hand.”

  My breathing sped up as my heart thumped around in my chest. He wanted my hand? I bit my lip. The last time our hands touched, I just about combusted. I removed my glove and, slowly reaching out, placed my bare hand over his.

  Please don’t notice how clammy it is.

  A bolt of energy crackled against my skin as the cool metal of the coin pressed between our palms.

  “Now what?” I asked, my heart racing.

  “Now, just make a wish,” he replied. “Tell me when you’re ready, and we’ll toss it together.”

  “You know, I don’t think this is really a thin—” I began to pull my hand away, but his fingers curled around mine, holding it in place.

  “Just do it, Megan.” A slight smile pressed along his lips.

  Fine. I closed my eyes. What would a good wish be? I searched deep past the surface until I reached the far corners of my mind. If I could make any wish come true, what would I want beyond all else? For Mom to be alive.

  Stop it. That’s impossible.

  I squeezed my eyelids tight and pushed the tears away. If I couldn’t have Mom, then maybe, just maybe, I could have Dad back.

  I felt Jay’s hand wrap around mine. I opened my eyes and met his hazel gaze. He was studying my face, searching.

  “What I wouldn’t give to know what you’re thinking right now,” he whispered.

  “You. Wish.”

  He threw his head back and released a loud laugh. It echoed in the near empty square.

  “Maybe I will,” he said, holding up our hands. “You ready?”

  I nodded.

  “Okay, one, two, three,” he counted and swung our hands back before bringing them forward and releasing the coin. I tracked the nickel as it flew through the air in a perfect arc and landed in the center of the fountain, bouncing on the icy surface with a few sharp clinks.

  “Does that count?” I asked when the coin spun on the slick surface before coming to a stop against the inside edge.

  “Honestly,” he said, “I have no
idea. But I’m gonna say yes.”

  This time, I laughed. It felt good to talk with someone other than my pushy little sidekick, even if it was Jay. I smiled. It was the first time in a while I hadn’t felt the pressure of life on my shoulders. It was...nice.

  The clock in the square chimed three times. Shocked at how late it was getting, I took my phone out to double-check.

  “Oh my God. I have to go,” I said, shoving the phone into my back pocket.

  “Wait, when—”

  “I’m sorry.” I pulled my coat tighter around myself and turned to leave. “I really…um, thanks for the fries. I gotta go.”

  I hurried down the sidewalk back to where I’d left Amadeo, leaving Jay standing near the fountain.

  “Amadeo,” I whispered into the chilly afternoon when I reached the sidewalk near my car. “Amadeo, you here?”

  “How many times do I need to tell you loud whispering only makes you look more conspicuous?” His voice rang close to my ear.

  “Jesus,” I snapped. “Would you stop doing that? Get in the car, we’re leaving.”

  As we headed out of town, I eyed him suspiciously. “Were you spying on me the whole time? I’d feel a whole lot better if you’d just let me know where you’re going to be when you disappear like that.”

  “Oh, Megan, relax,” he said.

  Hmph. He hadn’t answered the question.

  “Have you come up with any more possible matches for Stacey?”

  My heart sank. The heavy weight that had temporarily lifted from my body was now firmly draped back over my shoulders. The match. As freeing as my reprieve with Jay had been, I knew my obligation would not be lifted until I completed my mission.

  “Not exactly,” I replied. “I…well, I just don’t understand why any of those other boys I’ve mentioned before wouldn’t work. Stacey loves those jock types.”

  “But those boys will never do. How many times do I have to say it? It’s like you’re not even trying to make this happen,” he repeated, again shooting me down.

  “What does it matter, anyway? I thought you just needed your quota, and then you’d be on your way home,” I snapped as we made our way toward the Dyer property.

  I tried to find my happy place as I drove. I warmed as I thought about my walk with Jay and wondered why I’d never noticed before how easy he was to talk with.

  Probably because he was always too busy bailing.

  I huffed to myself. Still, a smile spread across my lips as I remembered how the nickel slid across the icy surface. The only thing icier was Amadeo’s discontent. He was acting as if I was intentionally trying to be difficult.

  I gripped the wheel tight and focused on the drive to the Dyer’s house. Another perk to small town living? Everyone knows where almost everyone else lives. My mind flipped back to Stacey’s eighth-grade slumber party. She’d invited every girl in the class. Even me. It was one of the last times I tried to appease my counselor’s badgering about trying to participate in typical activities. I went, but begrudgingly. How would anything ever be typical again?

  I rounded another curve on the road, past the fruit barn where Mr. and Mrs. Pluth sold apple pies in the fall. In truth, I wasn’t sure what Amadeo and I were going to do once we arrived, but since I didn’t have another plan, this was the best I could come up with. Maybe being around Stacey would inspire more options.

  Parking the car on the dirt shoulder, we got out and walked down the winding, tree-lined road leading to the house. The sun hung low in the sky, and the afternoon was quiet. Amadeo and I weaved through the trees, the unanswered question still hanging between us. Wouldn’t good enough be, well, good enough? Why was he making such a fuss? As if reading my mind, he spoke. Wait, he couldn’t read my mind, could he?

  “Look, I’ll admit I want to make quota just as much as the next cupid, and I miss my family terribly, but we still have a bit more than a week left, and I’m not going to risk my reputation, and record, with shoddy matches unless it’s absolutely necessary. By the sheer grace of the goddess Venus herself, I haven’t been yanked off this assignment and thrust back into the realm, so you can bet your chocolate hearts I’m going to see this through to the best of my ability. Which is, as you may already know, quite an ability.”

  I groaned. Did I understand his reasoning? Yes. Did it look like I’d be getting rid of him any time soon? Negative.

  “Besides, I’m kind of enjoying my time here. Mountain Valley is a great place to relax, you know, considering.” He rubbed his shoulder and looked at me pointedly. I clenched my teeth together. Would he never let that go? “Perhaps I’ll consider a vacation here once this fiasco is over.”

  I stopped dead in my tracks.

  “A vacation? Here? Cupids take vacations?”

  He feigned an exasperated expression.

  “Megan, cupids of my standing are notorious travelers. Couldn’t you guess that by now? We thrive on adventure. What would life be without the excitement of discovering new places, trying new foods, listening to new music? Besides, Davina has been hinting she wants a place to escape to every few decades or so. Why not some place out of our realm?”

  Notorious travelers? Vacations? No. Way.

  “Well, I cannot possibly imagine what you’re escaping from. Between your fame up in your realm, your perfect home, and numerous adoring fans, it seems like you’ve got a pretty good setup.”

  “You think it’s all hearts and flowers up there? That we’d never want to leave? Oh, let me tell you, we’ve got our fair share of problems. I mean, they’re nothing like your problems here on Earth, but still…”

  “Give me an example,” I challenged. How could any place focused on love, joy, and happiness be that bad?

  “Okay, how about this? Imagine living in a place where almost everything outside of nature is colored some shade of white, red, pink, or violet. We’re talking clothes, buildings, toys, vehicles, household appliances…everything.”

  I put my hands on my hips.

  “That is what you’re complaining about? A limited color scheme?” My voice rang out. “Amadeo, that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of.”

  “Well, you try looking cool with a pixie pink quiver,” he shot back. “I wasn’t even allowed to think about picking another shade until I moved up an entire level. And just because he’s a direct descendent of Venus, Eros got to bypass the pinks and move straight through to the more powerful reds.”

  “What’s with you and this Eros guy anyway? You keep talking about him like he’s out to destroy you or something,” I said.

  “You really want to know?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t,” I replied. “Why does he bother you so much?”

  “Let me ask you this. Have you ever known someone who just manages to have it all without even trying?”

  He didn’t need to say that twice. A certain golden, tawny-skinned Adonis with warm eyes floated through my mind. I nodded.

  “Well, that’s Eros. See, we were born the same year. I came from a modest family. My parents both worked in Level Two, Botany Division. Roses. Eros, he was born in The Heart, both his parents were elders. He was immediately marked as a descendent of Venus, and from the moment life was breathed into his body, everything was handed to him.

  “It wasn’t just his privilege, either. Things came easily for him, too, and he always seemed to best me. In primary school, he was the top of our class; I was number two. As seniors, we both made the All-Realm Archery Team. We had a tied record, but he was named captain. At university, I passed the HRT with a perfect score. Oh, but being a descendent of Venus, he was able to waive the test.”

  His face turned a shade of violet as he spoke.

  “No matter what we did, he was always one up on me. Which wouldn’t have been so bad, albeit highly annoying, if it wasn’t for his cruddy attitude. You know, for being related to the most loving and glorious of all goddesses, he sure does have a sour disposition. I thought it would pass over the cen
turies, hoped he would mellow out, grow up, so to speak, but it’s only gotten worse. Now, he’s senior archer of Division One. And me, well, as of today, it would appear that I’m barely hanging on to my position in the Second Division, depending on how you shoot this next arrow.”

  He paused and gave me a sour half-smile. Okay, so maybe I felt a little bad for the guy. It was no picnic when the universe handed out its bounty to people who already had their fill. In a world where everyone else had to work twice as hard to earn half as much, the Jay Michaelses coasted by. But surely there were rewards for those who worked hard and did their best. I had to believe it. And I’d bet anything that Amadeo could appreciate that eventually, his hard work would pay off, and he’d be the one to stand tall.

  I placed my hand on his shoulder. “I’m totally with you, A. I am. But maybe you’re just not looking at it the right way. Maybe you should be thanking Eros for pushing you to achieve so much. He’ll never know what true accomplishment feels like…not like you. And because of that, everything you’ve ever done will be more meaningful. Plus, you have something Eros will never have.”

  “Which is?”

  “Davina and Luvina,” I said. “No matter what, he’ll never have them.”

  “You know what, Megan,” Amadeo said, his voice exponentially more upbeat than it was seconds ago, “you are smarter than I thought.”

  Really? Did he have to go there?

  “Thanks…I think,” I said.

  We continued walking up to the Dyer property. As we turned the corner leading to the main house, Amadeo quickly pulled me into the brush.

  “Quick, hide!”

  The rusty grate of a screen door caught my attention. My eyes followed the direction of the noise. Stacey was leaving the house with a tray of food. Amadeo and I crouched down, motionless as she walked past our hiding spot toward a small shed. The structure was no bigger than twenty-by-twenty and was situated to the left side of the long drive. A light glowed from inside, and the muffled rapping of someone working on some sort of construction echoed from the interior.

  After entering and closing the door behind her, Amadeo and I snuck up to the window to investigate. Inside, Stacey leaned against a wooden workbench and talked with one of her father’s workers, Jason. I recognized him from when he delivered a flatbed trailer to the school for the junior homecoming float.