Bows and Eros

Chapter 13: Misfire

                I stood there standing like an idiot after Eros left. Did I feel something for him? I didn’t know. I pushed send on my phone, and found myself in the parking lot of the high school, in the passenger seat of Lauren’s car. She was talking on her cell phone.

“No I am still suspended, lame right?” She said. “But I got a tutor. We’ve been having extra special lessons, if you know what I mean…”

The voice on the phone said something.

“Yeah, Evan is a bit of a geek, but it is ok,” she said. “I mean, he is still really hot and is an amazing kisser.”

I nearly gagged at that comment. Gross.

“Well, the way I see it is this,” Lauren said, smirking. “With Evan, I have the best of both worlds. I can have great sex and someone to do my chemistry homework. And if I can keep him, someday I’ll have it made. You know he wants to be like the next Bill Gates. He’ll need a hot wife for that mansion he’ll own someday. I hit the boyfriend jackpot.”

                I got out of the car, passing through the door. I took a deep breathe, feeling anger hit me. She loved him, but in a twisted, selfish way. Eros was wrong. Love didn’t change people, it enabled them. Well, with Lauren at least. Eros, well, he’d been different since he allegedly fell in love with me. He’d been kinder, gentler, and considerate. Why are you thinking about Eros if you love Gabe? I did love Gabe, I just had doubts suddenly. What if I’d moved too quickly with him? Did I really love him, or was it just convenient that he loved me? I didn’t know how to answer those questions. In the distance I saw Evan approached Lauren’s car. She got out and ran towards him, smothering him with kisses as they met. I watched them and shrugged. Whether I liked it or not, Lauren made Evan happy, and I couldn’t change that. I pulled out my love mist, and dipped my arrow. I pulled back and went to shoot, hitting Lauren in the chest. She’ll love you and your checkbook now, Evan. I hope it makes you happy somehow. I was going to shoot Evan, my second arrow ready. And then as I was aiming, a third person entered. Some beefy jock, a football player, pulled Evan off of Lauren, punching him in the face. It was probably Lauren’s ex, the one I’d heard the cheerleaders discussing in the bathroom two days ago.

                They started arguing, and Lauren was hollering at them to stop. They were moving a lot, and I aimed my arrow steady. But Evan and the guy kept switching places, and I worried my arrow might miss. What if it did? A thought crept into my head. Could they blame me for accidentally changing Evan’s fate, hitting the wrong target? Really, what could go so wrong? I’d been killed and not an eyelash was batted. How bad could the consequences of not hooking up two teenagers be? I watched as cars started to move about, and Evan and the jock continued to argue.

“What are you doing?” Gabe asked. “Macy, take the shot. No more hesitation, ok. This isn’t safe to wait anymore. You could mess up Evan’s destiny.”

“Safe huh,” I said. “You certainly prefer safety, don’t you?”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing,” I said. “You want me to take the shot.”

“Yes, just do it!”

                I released my arrow, not thinking about Evan but how Gabe had so little faith in me. Sure, I’d questioned my choices, but I would have done it eventually. How stupid did he think I was? The arrow shot into the air, just as Evan stepped backwards, and the arrow hit the jock straight in the chest.

“Shit,” I said. “What do I do?”

“Shoot again,” Gabe said. “Get Evan, before something goes wrong.”

“What could go wrong?”

“I don’t know Macy, but you’ve just altered his destiny. Fix it, now!”

I dipped a third arrow, aiming for Evan. I released it, but it was already too late. Just as it shot into the air, the jock pushed Evan just as a small minivan turned a corner. It struck Evan’s body and sent him flying over the hood of the car, and I screamed. Evans body hit the ground with a thud, and then the arrow glided through his heart. Too little, too late.

(((Sorry this was insanely short. Don't hate me, I had to end it there!)))