Love, Love, Love

by Deborah Reber

  Peter caught Laura in his arms and stared wildly at her. “Are you all right? I’ll strangle those stupid morons!” With a grimace, he bit off even angrier words.

  “I’m okay,” muttered Laura, massaging her sore shoulder. She looked past Peter to see Cupidity lifting her bow with an arrow nocked and ready. The petite archer swiveled slowly as she followed a moving target in the parking lot, then she let her missile fly into the darkness.

  “No!” shouted Laura a second too late. A distant figure whimpered and sprawled on the ground, but it was hard to see if the arrow had struck her or if she had just tripped.

  “What are you doing?” demanded Peter, whirling on Cupidity. “Okay, what they did was bad, but you can’t shoot arrows at them! You’ll get arrested—we’ll all get arrested.”

  Cupidity studied Peter as if seeing him for the first time. “You’ll do,” she said, nodding. Then she nocked another arrow to her bow, drew back the string, and shot Peter at point-blank range.

  “No!” cried Laura once again. She rushed forward, but an invisible shock wave slammed into her, sending her reeling back on her heels. With a gasp, Laura felt her legs weaken beneath her, and she tumbled into the mud.

  I’m having a really awful nightmare, thought Laura from the hazy depths of a brain fog, because there’s Megan sobbing over Peter’s bloody body. No, he’s not really covered in blood, unless blood is neon green.

  Laura vaguely remembered something about paint and a battle. She had been involved too, because her shoulder hurt and there was purple paint on her face and glasses. Jake was yelling and stomping around, and a couple of people had gathered to watch the spectacle.

  What a stupid dream, she thought.

  “Oh, my precious! Oh, Peter!” wailed Megan, who in this dream was dressed like a soldier. The cheerleader bent over the red-haired, paint-covered boy and shook him as if trying to bring him back from the dead. “I didn’t mean to hurt you! I would never hurt you!”

  “What are you talking about?” demanded Jake, who was also in this dream. He shook his fists at both Megan and Chelsea. “You shot paintballs at us! You totally meant to hurt us. You’re psychos!”

  “Well, she shot arrows at us!” exclaimed Chelsea, pointing an accusatory finger at Cupidity.

  Cupidity smiled innocently beneath several coats of contrasting paint, and she pointed to her multicolored hair. “Do I look like I started this? And look what you did to my car! I ought to have you arrested for that alone.”

  Now Laura stirred from her stupor, because something had a hint of reality. Of course, reality is often mixed up in dreams, she told herself. Look, there’s Megan kissing the paint off Peter’s face while sobbing pathetically. They’re both real people, yet this would never happen in real life.

  Laura relaxed, knowing she was still in a dream. A stranger, someone who seemed to work in this park place, stepped forward and said, “Okay, do you want me to call the police? What about an ambulance for them?”

  He pointed to Peter, who had Megan draped all over him, sobbing fitfully. Suddenly Peter reached up and grabbed her butt.

  “Well, I think he’s still alive,” said Cupidity.

  “Hey, that’s my girlfriend!” snapped Jake.

  “Megan … Megan!” breathed Peter. He opened his eyes and saw Megan only inches away. From the grin that spread across his face, it looked as if Peter had died and gone to heaven. Sobbing for joy, they embraced.

  Laura giggled dazedly. What a crazy dream.

  “Teenagers!” growled the old stranger, waving his hand at them. “All of you, get out of here before the sheriff comes by. And you two girls—” He pointed to Megan and Chelsea. “Don’t ever come back.”

  Megan was oblivious to anything but Peter Yarmench, and she grunted as she helped him to his feet. They were instantly besieged by Jake and Chelsea, who didn’t look very happy.

  Laura felt strong hands under her armpits, and she turned to see Cupidity deftly lifting her to her feet. In doing so, Cupidity smeared paint all over Laura’s back, and it felt cold and sticky in the night air.

  “Don’t wake me up,” muttered Laura. “I’m having a weird dream.”

  Cupidity laughed. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty, let’s get out of here before the old man calls the cops.” She peered across the parking lot and called, “Jake!”

  Jake was pointing his finger and yelling at Megan and Peter. After a few moments, Chelsea joined in, shrieking at her best friend, but the cheerleader and the gangly geek were lost in each other’s embrace. They looked like drowning victims clinging to life preservers.

  As the small crowd drifted away, Jake walked back over to Laura and Cupidity shaking his head. “Dude, I don’t get it. She hit him with a couple of paintballs, and now he’s like her long-lost love.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Laura blissfully, “it’s all a dream, it’s not real.”

  Jake stared at her. “Hello! Get a grip, will you? Your date just ditched you for my girlfriend!”

  “I thought you and Megan were over,” said Cupidity, folding her arms. “What’s the deal, Jake?”

  “Hey, it’s just a shock, that’s all,” he answered, turning away from them. When he caught sight of Peter and Megan again, he scowled.

  Laura smiled at Jake’s discomfort until she saw Chelsea headed their way. The curvy, dark-haired beauty looked frumpy in her army fatigues, and she pouted under her bulky mask. “Can I get a ride with you guys?” she pleaded. “Those two lovebirds don’t even know I exist.”

  “It’s just a dream,” answered Laura confidently. “Don’t sweat it.”

  “It’s no dream,” said Cupidity gravely. “Peter and Megan have found each other, and we should be happy for them. Wake up and smell the love connection.” She reached out and pinched Laura’s arm.

  “Ow!” exclaimed Laura, as everything came into focus. Jake Mattson was standing before her, looking miserable. In the distance, Jake’s longtime girlfriend, Megan, was making out with the unlikely Peter Yarmench. And Chelsea’s stunned, crestfallen expression only verified this bizarre turn of events. The only person who looked contented was Cupidity. But then again, she barely knew these people.

  Memories suddenly flooded back, and Laura stammered, “D-did you shoot Peter with an arrow?”

  Cupidity laughed. “Does he look like he’s been shot with an arrow? I told you, I use my bow symbolically, so I don’t really get angry with people. It’s working, isn’t it?” she asked as she flipped her paint-covered hair. “I got the worst of this prank, and I’m not angry. So the rest of you, chill out.”

  “Chill out?” said Jake in confusion. “You must’ve gotten hit in the head by those stupid paintballs. That’s a cheerleader over there with the king of the dorks!”

  “Hey!” said Laura angrily, “Peter is my friend.”

  Chelsea broke into tears and sobbed pitifully as she climbed out of her paintball gear, which she had worn over her regular clothes. “What’s going on? First Cody leaves me, and now I lose my best friend! This is so unfair!”

  “Cheer up!” chirped Cupidity, clapping her hands together like a cheerleader. “It’s a school night, and we’ll all get home in time to make our parents happy. Who cares if we have a little paint on us?”

  Chelsea sniffed and grabbed the new girl’s paint-smeared arm. “I’m sorry about everything, Cupidity. We followed you here, and it wasn’t until we saw that we could rent paintball stuff that we decided to tag you.” She looked wistfully over her shoulder. “I didn’t think Megan would get so weirded out over it.”

  “Forget it,” insisted Cupidity, happily leading the way to her car. “Get in the car, and don’t worry about getting paint on the seats.”

  “This is why I hate archery,” grumbled Jake. He pointed back into the shadows. “Yarmench, I’m not done with you yet!”

  No answer came from the funky complex of trees and shooting ranges, and the lights over the paintball field suddenly blinked out, leaving them in deep shadows. One
by one, the uniformed figures disappeared into the darkness, and Laura shivered with a feeling of unease.

  She wanted to call after Peter and tell him to get back where he belonged, but she had resisted others doing that to her. Peter had found something unusual, and why should she begrudge him that? Maybe Megan was playing him along to get even with Jake, but her concern for Peter had looked genuine. She wasn’t that good an actress.

  What exactly happened to me? Laura asked herself, but her memories remained vague. Starting with the paintball pummeling, she wasn’t sure what she’d experienced, only that something had hit her. An invisible force? Or maybe it was just the splatter of a paintball. One thing was certain—this wasn’t her typical Tuesday night.

  When Laura reached the car, Chelsea was in the backseat, still babbling and crying. “I can’t believe it! This is totally whack. Jake, what will we do for the Homecoming Dance? If I don’t go with Cody, and you don’t go with Megan … well, that makes everything totally whacked out! Who will be the king and queen?”

  Laura had to resist rolling her eyes as she got in the car next to Chelsea.

  “When is this dance?” asked Cupidity with another flip of her paint-splattered hair.

  “It’s a formal. Early in October,” whined Chelsea. “Like three weeks from now.”

  “Who cares?” muttered Jake. He pounded a beefy fist into his palm. “That geek is going to have some explaining to do.”

  Laura looked over her shoulder, searching the parking lot for Peter. It was just sinking in that her date had been taken away by the future Homecoming Queen, and she was going home without even getting a kiss. Not that she necessarily wanted one from Peter, but still. This was a terrible first date!

  Cupidity hummed as she started the car engine. When she moved in her paint-covered clothes, she made squishy sounds on the seat. “Ah, it felt good to shoot again,” she remarked.

  “What are you talking about?” said Jake, who stared in amazement at his cheerful date. “Tonight was a bust.”

  “Depends on how you look at it,” answered Cupidity. “For example, you’ll never have to worry about Megan bugging you again.” She laughed softly as Jake scowled.

  Laura glanced over her shoulder again, but Peter was gone.

  “How could she turn Peter into a love zombie?” asked Taryn with a disdainful sniff. She and Laura were standing at the back of the lunch line, watching Peter Yarmench and Megan Rawlins near the front of the line. The moonstruck couple were gazing at each other so intently that the line had stopped moving. In one day, Peter and Megan had become one of those insufferable, inseparable couples who cling to each other all day long. Finally somebody yelled at them, and they moved a few steps, still gazing at each other with goo-goo eyes.

  “You were there—what happened?” asked Taryn.

  Laura shook her head. “I was there, but I have no idea what happened. Megan hit him with a couple of paintballs, and he passed out. She felt really bad about it, and then she was thrilled when he woke up. They’ve been like this ever since.”

  “Ew!” exclaimed Taryn, wrinkling her nose. “Whoever thought getting hit by paintballs could be so romantic?”

  “Yep.” Laura nodded glumly and looked around the crowded cafeteria. She was trying to find Cupidity, who had disappeared shortly after they arrived at school that morning. Last night had been a blur, and now that Laura was clearheaded, she had questions for the new girl.

  She found Taryn staring at her with pity. “What?” asked Laura.

  “It’s just that … you go on a date for the first time in like forever, and you lose your date to Megan Rawlins,” said Taryn. “That’s raw. What are you going to do about it?”

  “Do about it?” snapped Laura. “Do you want me to steal him away from Megan? Look at them! I’ve never seen Peter look at anything like that … except maybe pepperoni pizza.”

  Taryn lowered her voice to add, “They say that Jake Mattson is going to do something about it after school.”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  “Oh, just around.” Taryn smiled slyly. “So, will there be any more double dates with Cupidity?”

  “I don’t know if I can stand the excitement,” admitted Laura. “Look, I have to find her. I don’t want Peter to get hurt. Catch you later.” She rushed out of the lunch line, accepting the fact that she wouldn’t get anything to eat.

  Laura prowled the cafeteria, then wandered the halls, looking for Cupidity. She finally decided to check outside in the parking lot. Although students weren’t allowed to leave campus during lunch, Cupidity tended to follow her own rules.

  She finally found her new friend sitting on the hood of her convertible, which was sparkling clean again. Cupidity was talking to an unlikely person, Emma Langdon, and the goth leader with the spiky black hair was nodding at something she said. Emma handed Cupidity a piece of paper, and they both studied it for a moment. When Laura approached, Emma tucked the paper back in her jacket and gave the valedictorian a smirk.

  “I heard you had quite a date last night,” Emma said.

  “Yeah,” answered Laura, “it was more fun shooting at the targets than being the targets.”

  “Man, if I were you, I would so get even with them!” vowed Emma, pounding her fist into her palm. “Those snots think they can get away with anything, and now Megan has ripped off a new boyfriend from the brainiac bunch.”

  “Yeah,” answered Laura, bowing her head and wanting to change the subject. “What else were you two talking about?”

  “The usual,” answered Cupidity. “Boys.”

  Emma blushed behind her mask of heavy eye shadow and pale foundation and pointed toward Cupidity. “You’ll keep it quiet, right?”

  “Don’t worry,” said Cupidity. “I have great respect for love and secrets. Let me handle it.”

  Emma glanced at Laura and muttered, “Your friend’s okay. Sorry everyone’s on your case about her. See ya.” With a wave, Emma swaggered across the parking lot as if she owned it.

  “You know, I kind of like her,” said Cupidity. “She reminds me of my mother—smoldering and intense.”

  “Where have you been hiding all morning?” asked Laura, wringing her hands. She was nervous for Peter’s safety, but she didn’t want to jump in about that and look like she was freaking out.

  Cupidity admired her reflection in her windshield. “After I dropped you off, I left.”

  “What? You ditched all your morning classes?” asked Laura in amazement.

  “Well, I had to get my car cleaned,” answered Cupidity, affectionately slapping the hood of her prized vehicle.

  “But your parents—” Laura bit her lip, because she remembered that Cupidity was self-sufficient, no untidy parents around. Although she looked young and fresh, who could tell for sure that she was a high school student? Maybe she was a cop or a con artist or something.

  “I’m getting paranoid,” blurted Laura.

  Cupidity shrugged and patted her on the back. “Well, it comes with the territory. You should have thought of that before—” The blond girl stopped in midsentence and started searching through her purse. “What did I do with my cell phone? I hate those things.”

  “Before what?” demanded Laura, certain she was going to say more.

  “Totally nothing,” replied Cupidity with a flip of her hair. “Emma was showing me a photo of a boy she likes, as if I didn’t know. She wants me to arrange a double date for her—can you believe? But I don’t think that guy is right for her. She needs to get out of her rut.”

  “Like Peter did?” asked Laura, wringing her hands again. “What’s happening? My life has been turned upside down, and I don’t know what happened. Everything seems so crazy … ever since I’ve been hanging out with you.”

  “Don’t blame all your problems on me,” responded Cupidity with a sniff. “If you liked Peter, why didn’t you grab him? You had plenty of opportunity.”

  Laura’s shoulders slumped. She thought about denying i
t, but she had a feeling her friend was dead on. “Yeah, you’re right,” she muttered, “I’m hopeless with boys. But at least I’m not the only one who’s confused. I mean, who would have thought Megan Rawlins even knew Peter was alive?”

  “Maybe Megan has always liked him,” answered Cupidity with a shrug, “and when he got hurt, something snapped in her brain. Love is crazy like that. Okay, so we’ve crossed off Peter and Jake. Now, who do you really like? Cody?”

  “Oh, I don’t know anymore,” said Laura in exasperation. “One thing for sure, I don’t want to see Jake do something to hurt Peter. Have you heard the rumors? Can you reason with that Neanderthal?”

  “Did you ever try to reason with a Neanderthal?” asked Cupidity with a chuckle. “Never mind. If it gets out of hand, I’ll deal with him. Come on, let’s try to find him.”

  The halls were crowded with kids rushing to class after lunch, or rushing to the next lunch period. Laura and Cupidity searched until they were both late, but they didn’t find Jake. Several of his friends claimed not to have seen him, and it looked as if he was trying to avoid Cupidity at all costs.

  The afternoon crawled by, and Laura could only stare at the clock and feel helpless. We won’t be able to find Jake before he finds Peter, she thought with dread. And how could we stop him, anyway?

  When the final bell rang and the kids stampeded into the hallways, there was a feeling of electricity in the air. Someone had stolen Jake Mattson’s girlfriend, and it was way too weird a someone to just let it go. It was causing ripples in the smooth pools of high school status.

  Laura got caught up in the flow of the crowd heading out of the building, all of them looking for Jake or the love zombies, Megan and Peter. Laura also searched for Cupidity, with no luck, but she managed to hook up with Taryn and a few other friends.

  A crowd was gathering at the far corner of the school parking lot, and Laura sprinted ahead of Taryn and Ashley to see what was going on. A group of students had surrounded Megan and Peter, pestering them with questions about their newfound love. The happy couple, meanwhile, seemed lost in their own world, content to just gaze into each other’s eyes.