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Cupid's Arrow

Chapter One

The raindrops pattered against the pavement, as Liam walked along the sidewalk. He kept his hands tucked gently in his pockets, with his head held to the ground.

The crowded sidewalk was filled with people carrying umbrellas, which helped to block some of the rain from hitting him, but he knew he would still have to change shirts when he got back to his flat.

In Liam’s defense, it didn’t usually rain on Valentine’s Day, but this year, the beautiful snow that usually flaked the ground was replaced with the heavy drops. Liam liked the rain. The black part of his heart hoped that it would ruin the plans of many happy couples.

By the time Liam reached one of the smallest book shops in London, his sweater was nearly soaked and his tolerance for romance was at an all-time low. He shook his arms, small drops of water landing on the floor. After wiping his feet against the shop’s mat, he made his way over to the bookshelf in the back.

The usually busy book shop empty aside from Liam and the shop’s clerk, and Liam was thankful that he would have the shop to himself. The shop was the only place he could get comfortable, so he was happy that he would have it to himself.

As if on cue, the bell rang behind him, signaling someone else had entered the book shop. With the sound came the familiar giggle of a happy couple. The irritating noise filled the bookstore, piercing Liam’s ears with its tiny needles.

The shop was small, but there was just enough room for the two separate parties to browse in peace. Despite the fact that there were many different aisles, with many different shows, the couple passed down his aisle. Liam groaned quietly as they stepped beside him, smiling and holding hands. When they passed him, the girl turned to him, grinning.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said, nodding in his direction.

“You, too.”

The moment they pass him, Liam rolled his eyes. He quickly shoved his book back on the shelf and switched aisles to one a few feet away. His eyes focused on the books in front of him. He had landed on the section filled with mystery novels. Those were his favorite, so he hoped they could keep him distracted.

After only a few minutes of browsing, the couple’s constant giggling had put a wear on one of Liam’s nerves. Groaning once more, he exited the book shop without having purchased anything.

Luckily for Liam, the rain had lightened up, causing the London streets to get busier. It seemed to Liam that nearly every person on the street was holding the hand of another, which made him realize even more why he hated Valentine’s Day.

In an effort to escape the happy couples, Liam turned down a deserted alley. With his hands shoved in his pockets, he pushed past a large dumpster, holding his nose as he did. Just as he was about to reach the end of the alley, he heard a rustling in the corner.

At first, Liam brushed off the noise, easily attributing it to a homeless person hiding out from the rain. He kept walking, but when he heard a moaning coming from the same direction, he became concerned. It was either a very drunk man, or someone who was injured. Either way, Liam’s attention was sparked.

Out of the corner of his eye, Liam saw movement and turned in its direction. His eyes were met with a brick wall and nothing more. Movement came again from the opposite side, but when Liam turned, he was nothing besides more bricks.

“Alright,” Liam said, to no one in particular. “That’s enough. You can come out now.”

A rustling began behind him, and he turned quickly once more. Before him, lying on the ground, was a midget in a diaper. Liam’s eyes grew wide as he looked at the man, and he quickly bit his lip in an attempt to hold back his laughter.

“What the hell are you doing?” Liam asked, taking a few steps away from the man.

The short fellow pulled up his diaper, adjusting it at his waist. “Listen, kid. I’m not in the mood right now. If you can just hand me that bag on top of that dumpster, we can both forget this ever happened.”

With his hands in the air, Liam turned around, facing the dumpster. Sitting on the top was a small red sack. When Liam pulled it down, the contents spilled out of the bag.

On the alley floor, a handful of rose red arrows laid across the ground. The man looked from Liam, to the arrows, then back at him, before taking a few slow steps forward.

Liam planted his feet on top of the arrows, shaking his head. “Nope, mate. You’re not getting these back until I know you’re not planning to shoot someone with them.”

The small man groaned, kicking the floor with his bare foot. “Come on, kid. I don’t have time to explain it to you, and even if I did, you wouldn’t believe me.”

Laughing, Liam pressed his foot harder into the arrows. “I’ve heard that one way too many times. Either you tell me, or I break these.”

Sighing, the small man looked up at Liam. “Alright kid, do you believe in love?”

Comments

I love this already!
Louis.Tommo. Louis.Tommo.
12/28/12
Very cute! XD I'm excited to see where this goes
Orlando Weeks. Orlando Weeks.
12/26/12