From the billboard ledge, the road looked blurry. In fact, everything looked blurry. The colorful blobs in the parking lot had to be cars, and the building with the huge circular symbol the movie theater. God I wish I had brought my glasses. I squished my back against the billboard. I was sure my sweaty palms would melt the paint.
Eros, on the other hand, had his eyes (and arrow) set on a car parked at the movie theater. In it two teens probably around my age were yelling at each other. The Dude was more animated, but the Dame was louder, her voice squeaking at some points.
Eros glared, pulled his bow back until the string cracked, and then let go. I couldn’t see jack, so I put up my binoculars. The arrow landed directly in the air conditioner followed by pink sparkles.
The two were yelling over each other, getting closer and closer to each other’s faces when the Dame suddenly broke her rant to yell “I love you!”
The Dude went silent. Both of them stared at each other before making out, arms wrapped around each other.
“Elh!” I threw down my binoculars and Eros chuckled.
“Really? They're gonna do that in the parking lot?” I shook my head.
“I thought you were the romance enthusiast,” Eros nudged me.
“Ah!” I yelled, and stuck back onto the billboard. “Don’t do that! You can fly, not me!”
“Oh common, I wouldn’t really let you fall,” Eros sat on the ledge and dangled his feet over the roaring road of cars below.
When my breathing went back to normal, I looked down at Eros.
He was smiling for once, but it was quickly turning back into that straight stare he usually did.
“So as Cupid, you do that all the time? Shoot people feelings so they can fall in love?”
“Well…Technically my arrows give people passion. Could be love. Hate. Inspiration.”
“And you’ve done that every year since you were a baby?”
“Every year.”
“Wow,” I whispered, and looked straight. The sky and clouds stretched forever eons above this town's little studs and shops. The wind blew through my weave.
“Have you ever… fallen in love?”
He looked up at me. “What?”
“I mean, you're human too…or a god… whatever. You’ve got emotions like us mortals, I bet there’s been at least one lady who you’ve crushed on.”
He looked up at me with a plain face. “Nnnnno. I don’t stick around Earth long enough to fall in love with people. Actually, I’ve had enough love for one lifetime, maybe three.
“Common, being around love and people in love for extended periods of time doesn’t make you wonder what it’s like, to be in love, not even a little?”
Eros huffed. “Kayla, you work as a journalist, don’t you? You’re pretty known around here right?”
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“And people are always talking to you about your articles, why they liked it, why they didn’t.”
“Yeah, they do! So much so that I get tired of it.”
He nodded. “I bet some people even try to tell you how you can do it better.”
“Yeeess! I get so tired of those people who try to give me ‘tips’ cause they don’t even write for a living, so how could they know how to write better in my shoes anyway?” I scoffed and looked off into the blurry field below.
“But you’ve always wanted to be a writer. Since you were a baby. So it must be fun right?” Eros was tossing an arrow around in his hands nonchalantly, but his voice was rising. “Talking about writing all the time. Being known for your talent and not someone who has a gift for something but also wants to live life. People always telling you how you can do better, like they know how when they don't. Having to do the same thing over and over for years and no one expects you to ever get tired of it. Everyone knows you only for what you're famous for, not even trying to know the real freaking person behind it all,” he gripped the arrow, then stuffed it back in his sack.
I stared at my shoes. “Oh. I get it now.”
I slid down on the billboard, and sat beside him. “Well, I appreciate you Eros. you’re much more than just a cherub. Soon, we’ll put the world back in balance and you can go back to the heavens and drink mineral water and observe concerts from afar,” I pushed him with my shoulder.
He broke his upwards gaze to look at me. “How do you know I care for human music?”
I laughed. “Eros, people may know of you but I know you. You love the human invention of music. As soon as you get back to wherever you spend the rest of the year you’ll be laid back thirsty for new songs to chill to.”
I put a hand over his.
He smirked and gave me a side eye. “I guess there was one time I had a thing for a mortal.”
My heart raced. “Really!? Who was it!?”
He leaned in close. “Guess.”
It didn’t take me too long to find out who.
Hey there! I’m Shila! I’ve loved books since I could read, and decided I would write books I wanted to see written for others! Check my children’s book Imagination on Amazon!
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