I watch him stalk across the gray floor, then turn my attention to the rest of the room. There are a couple of girls from my class hanging up a banner, Charlie is instructing the guy doing the lighting, and a sophomore named Jane is plugging in the speakers. No one is paying attention to Cal.
Cupid notices me sitting alone and wanders over. As he reaches me, he thrusts a packet into my hand. “Balloons,” he says unenthusiastically. “Charlie says we have to blow up balloons.”
He sits on the floor beside me and we get to work. Before long we’re laughing, racing each other with our balloon-inflating skills and generally having a lot more fun than I would’ve expected. Once or twice I catch Cal watching us disapprovingly from across the room, but I am never able to catch his eye.
When the end-of-day bell rings, I wave good-bye to Cal and Charlie, who are deep in discussion about tonight’s events. They don’t seem to want my input, and I want to go home and get ready, anyway. I’m halfway down the corridor when I hear footsteps behind me.
“Lila?”
I turn around to find Cupid inches away from me. My breath catches in my throat.
“Yes?” I ask, looking up at his face.
He pauses and actually looks a little sheepish. “This may be a weird question after all that’s going on, but . . .”—he grins wickedly—“will you go to the dance with me?”
37
For a moment I’m too shocked at the question to answer. Having a date to the dance seems trivial when a bunch of cupids are trying to kill us.
“We might as well have a little fun while we’re being hunted,” says Cupid. “I mean, what more could possibly go wrong?”
I groan and playfully slap his bicep. “Don’t say that. Do you want to tempt fate?”
He laughs then gently places his hands on my arms, holding me still. His eyes bore into mine and as they do, the smile falls from his face. “Come on, go to the dance with me.”
Every part of me yearns to say yes, but everyone seems so certain that my spending time with Cupid is a bad idea. What about the Arrows? And the plan? And Cal telling me that Cupid is dangerous?
“If everything goes to plan, we’ll have the Finis soon, and then I’ll be leaving town,” he says. “We’re meant to be together, Lila. Let us at least have one dance before it all ends.”
His thumb gently strokes my arm, sending a tingle across the surface of my skin. I look up at him and drink in his features.
I wonder what his hair would feel like running through my fingers, what his lips would taste like . . .
Stop it, Lila.
“I thought you didn’t believe in matches,” I say.
He tilts my chin up with his finger so I’m forced to look into his ocean-colored eyes. “I said I was starting to.”
I take a deep breath then pull myself away. I need to think. I need to compose myself. But then he wiggles his eyebrows and the corner of my lip tugs upward.
“Fine. I’ll go with you,” I say. “But I have a condition.”
He smiles. “Anything.”
“I don’t get why the Cupids Matchmaking Service changing management is so bad. Who is the founder?”
I can tell I’ve taken him by surprise because he rocks backward—it’s almost imperceptible, but it’s there.
“If you go to the dance with me, I’ll tell you afterward,” he says. “I’ll tell you everything.”
“Tell me now.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t do that. I need more time.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Come to the dance with me tonight,” he wheedles, “and tomorrow I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Anything. I promise. Deal?”
He holds out his hand for me to shake and I stare at it. I have a strong feeling that whatever he has to tell me will change everything. I should demand he tell me now. I should tell him I’m not playing these silly cupid games anymore.
But I don’t think I’m quite ready for it all to change. Not yet.
Let us at least have one dance before it all ends.
“Fine, deal,” I say as his fingers clasp mine. “But tomorrow I want answers.”
Later that evening, I stand nervously in front of my bedroom mirror. I’m wearing the black strapless dress Charlie picked out and my hair is pinned up, exposing my bare collarbone and shoulders. I don’t normally dress like this, and I feel oddly vulnerable without my usual jeans and Converse.
I should be more worried about what the Arrows have planned, but my mind keeps wandering toward Cupid. It’s ten to seven; he should be here to pick me up any minute.
The doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it!” I yell.
After one last look, I head downstairs.
The Cupid that is waiting for me when I open the door is different than any version I’ve seen before. He’s dressed in a formal dark-blue suit, a light-blue tie, and a crisp white shirt. The dim light from the porch adds lighter shades to his dark-blond hair, and he’s keeping one arm behind his back.
“Lila,” he says softly, his eyes drinking me in hungrily. “You look . . . I mean—wow. You look great.”
I shift uncomfortably. “Uh, thanks.”
“Nervous?” He grins wickedly. “About the Arrows, I mean.”
I give him a look. “Well, seeing as they’re planning on kidnapping me tonight, a little, yes.”
Something uncertain flicks across his expression. “I, um, got you this,” he says. He brings his arm from behind his back and passes me a corsage of white flowers. After I take it carefully, he rubs the back of his neck. “You don’t have to wear it . . . if you don’t like it.”
I slip it on my wrist. “I like it,” I say. “Thank you.”
His face brightens, a smile spreading across it. “Phew. I’ve never been to a high school dance before. Binge watched an entire season of Prom Queens this afternoon to make sure I was doing it right.”
I laugh. “I’m sure Cal would approve of that use of time . . .”
“Who’s this?” my dad asks, coming up from behind me and placing his hand gently on my shoulder.
I groan inwardly; I really hadn’t wanted these two to meet.
Cupid extends his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir,” he says. “I’m Cupid.”
Dad says nothing for a moment. Why couldn’t he have a normal name?! I cringe, awaiting judgment. Instead, my dad chuckles lightly and returns the handshake.
“A joker, huh?” he says. “Well, I suppose we could use a cupid around here.” He looks down at me, light humor behind his blue eyes, and kisses me on the forehead. “Have fun, sweetheart.”
I smile, relief washing over me. “Thanks, Dad.”
Cupid holds his elbow out for me to take. “Well,” he says, “shall we go?”
I tentatively hook my arm through his. Despite the chill in the air, he feels warm, and when we reach his car parked at the end of the driveway, he opens the passenger door for me. I wave good-bye to my dad as Cupid walks around to the other side.
Moments later we’re on the road. Neither of us speaks at first, and I can’t help feeling a little awkward.
“All the weapons were hidden okay, right?” I ask after a few minutes of silence. “And everyone knows what they’re doing? Charlie is okay with doing all this still?”
Cupid turns to look at me. “Don’t worry,” he says. “It should be simple enough. Charlie only added three of the four names she was given to the invite list. She’s told them to arrive at different times so as not to arouse suspicion. One Arrow won’t be permitted entry. As soon as we hear there’s a problem at the door, I’ll slip out, grab him, and take him back to my house. Bit of time with the Ardor arrow and he’ll tell me where Crystal is being held. Then Charlie—who will be entertaining the remaining Arrows with her powerful skill of chatting complete nonsense—wi
ll help us organize a hostage exchange.”
There’s a knot in my stomach. It seems like Charlie’s the one who is risking everything, and that doesn’t seem right.
“They think she’s on their side,” Cupid says, reading the worry on my face. “She won’t be in any danger.”
“Is there nothing I can do?”
He shakes his head. “As much as it pains me, and as dull as it may render the latter part of your evening, it’s better for you to remain with my brother. The Arrows want at least one of us; it’s better if we don’t make it too easy for them. Don’t worry—we’ll enjoy the dance until they get there,” he adds, as though my main concern is spending half the evening with Cal. “Cal will keep you safe while I’m gone, and I’ll make sure I’m back for the last dance. Promise.”
He gives me a winning grin.
“Well,” I say dryly, “I suppose that’s okay. I mean, as long as you’re back for the last dance.”
He looks at me intensely. “I’d battle a Roman legion to get to dance with you.”
I feel my cheeks heating up and look away. Out of the corner of my eye I see Cupid smirk as he turns his gaze back to the road.
“I’d like to see a few Arrows try and stop me,” he says.
38
Ten minutes later, we enter the gym.
The space has been transformed from its usual dull gray to a shock of vibrant pinks. There are blinking white fairy lights draped around the DJ booth in the corner, and a huge banner reading Welcome Back to Forever Falls! covers the far wall—to Cal’s credit, his lobster ended up looking surprisingly good. The pink, black, and white balloons that Cupid and I blew up this afternoon have been hung around the room in bunches, and a flashing, fuchsia strobe light illuminates the hundreds of students already here.
We immediately spot Cal sitting alone on one of the benches. He also looks different—more grown-up in dark-gray suit and a black shirt that makes his light hair look even brighter than usual. He’s done something different with it, too, brushed it away from his face.
“Charlie’s over there,” he says, gesturing across the room.
I turn and see my friend, wearing a floaty magenta dress, dancing.
Cupid raises an eyebrow. “You know, when I said to keep an eye on her, I didn’t mean sit on a bench and stare at her like a creep. Go dance! Have some fun for a change.”
Cal scowls and takes a sip of the pink punch he must have got from the drinks table. “I think you’re having enough fun for the both of us.” He pauses, then looks at me. “You look nice, Lila,” he says formally.
“Um, thanks,” I say, taken aback by the compliment. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
“Yeah. Well.”
He shifts his gaze back to the dancing, and I look up at Cupid who shrugs.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s go dance.”
I’m about to accompany him when I feel someone’s eyes on me. James is in a black suit, watching us with a sour expression from across the room. I look away and take Cupid’s hand as he leads me into the crowd. We have enough drama going on tonight without James getting mixed up in it all.
Cupid smirks. “I think someone’s jealous,” he whispers in my ear.
“Well, he shouldn’t have kissed my best friend, then.”
Cupid’s eyes twinkle. “Worked out all right for me.”
As we get closer to Charlie, she pulls her phone out of her sleek black purse and looks at it. I reach for her arm, smiling, but when she turns to me, her eyes are wide.
“The Arrows are already inside,” Charlie says. “They hit
Mr. Butler on the door with a Capax and slipped in while he was flirting with Ms. Green. I knew they were into each other!” She catches sight of our faces. “And totally not the point. . . . They’ve asked me to bring you to them now, Lila. They’re creating a distraction so I can slip you away from Cupid.”
“A distraction?” says Cupid. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Are they in the gym?” I wildly scan the crowd. “What do we—?”
Before I can finish my sentence, a sudden burst of screaming erupts from the edge of the dance floor. The whooshing sound of hundreds of arrows flying through the air fills my ears. Students begin scrambling over one another, aware that something is going on even if they can’t see the Capaxes. When those in front of the pack discover the door to the school’s sports fields is barricaded, the panic increases. Cal bolts toward us through the crowd. He shares a look with his brother.
“Brother,” Cupid barks, “look after Lila. Charlie, tell them you’re coming and follow me. We need to get them out of the gym.” When his eyes find my face, he looks as though he wants to say something.
“I’ll be okay,” I say firmly. “Be careful.”
He nods and pushes his way through the dance floor toward the source of the commotion. I reach for Charlie’s hand
and squeeze it. She nods. Then she’s turning and following Cupid toward the gym exit.
Cal grabs my arm. “We need to get out of here.”
We start to move, Cal just ahead of me. I’m getting jostled about in the crowd, and it’s hard to see where I’m going. Then I hear a loud whoosh and feel a sudden searing pain in my shoulder.
I stop, filled with a weird sense of euphoria as I look down, my eyes momentarily blurred. An arrow juts out from my body.
Huh?
I grasp it and pull it out, watching as it crumbles to ash between my fingers.
“Lila!” Cal catches me in his arms as I begin to fall to the floor.
When I open my eyes, Cal’s face is close to mine. All around us people are wandering back to the dance floor as a Daft Punk track blares from the speakers. The pink lights still flash on and off in time to the music. I blink a couple of times trying to figure out what is going on.
“Lila?” says Cal gently. “Lila, are you all right?”
“I . . .”
Suddenly I notice Cal’s arms, which are cradled behind my back, supporting me. Despite his slender frame, I can feel the strength radiating from his tensed muscles. When I look at him curiously, he hurriedly pulls me up toward him so that my feet are flat on the ground.
“Are you okay?” he asks again, stepping back.
“Yeah,” I say, rubbing my head. “Yeah. I’m fine. What happened? Did I faint? Where’s Cupid? Where’s Charlie?”
“They went after the Arrows,” Cal says slowly. “I know you can’t remember, but you were just hit by a Capax, Lila.”
I stare at him, confused. “No, I wasn’t. I can see the arrows, you know.”
Cal nods slowly. “Yes, you can see them,” he says, “but you’re still human. Remember what I told you before. When a human is hit by an arrow, they forget about it.”
I frown. The Capax? I feel fine.
Around us the harsh pink lighting mellows as “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley begins to play. It permeates my mind, soft as a dream, and a smile spreads across my face.
“My mom used to love this song,” I say. “It was my parents’ first dance at their wedding.”
Cal taps his leg anxiously, his gaze darting about the gym as people pair off to dance together. There’s something about him that’s different than usual. He seems brighter somehow.
He shifts a little as I step toward him.
“Dance with me,” I say.
His eyes widen. “Uh, Lila, we should probably get out of here. Hide somewhere and wait for Cupid and Charlie to get back.”
I shake my head. “We’re here now. The Arrows seem to be gone, and Cupid knows where to find us.”
I take another step toward him. He doesn’t move back, but I can tell by the expression on his face that he is troubled.
“Lila, this really isn’t a good idea. You’re not thinking straight. It’s the Capax.�
�
I look up into his eyes. “It’s just a dance.”
I hold up the palm of my hand. After a moment of looking at it blankly, he moves his hand toward mine. Our fingers briefly entangle but then he pulls away, flinching as though my skin burns.
I give him a look, then put my other hand around the back of his neck. I can hear his breathing deepen as he slowly places a hands at my waist. I move my body closer to his and look up into his eyes. We begin to sway in time to the music.
“When we were back at the Matchmaking Service you showed me a mug,” I say. “It had World’s Best Boyfriend on it. You were in love once?”
He hesitates, then nods.
“What happened?”
He pulls back a little, seemingly lost for words. “Lila, I really don’t think . . .”
“Tell me.”
Cal sighs then relaxes, bringing his mouth closer to my ear. “It was a long time ago. I had feelings for a human. It wasn’t allowed. The founder was still in charge, and set out to punish us. The only way to save her was to turn her into a cupid,” he says bitterly. “So I did.”
I feel his tensed shoulder muscles under my fingertips.
“Afterward, she didn’t love me anymore—not like she did before. I broke it off and returned to the Matchmaking Service. She joined a Matchmaking Service in London.” He looks away as though embarrassed, his eyes shining. “She used to send me gifts on the anniversary of the day I turned her. The mug was one of them.”
I gently pull his face back toward mine.
“Do you still love her?”
He shakes his head. “Not anymore. Not like I did.”
We look into each other’s eyes for a few moments. With anyone else I’d feel uncomfortable being so close, but somehow with Cal it feels okay.
“Lila, this isn’t right. We shouldn’t be . . . you’ve been hit by the Capax.”
I move closer and lightly touch the side of his face. He leans into me, his forehead just barely touching mine. Then suddenly he springs away. He looks over my shoulder, clearly mortified.
I turn around.
Cupid's Match Page 17