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Lilly stood on a branch at the edge of the tree line in Central Park, staring up at the already bustling city. The sun was just rising, the birds were chirping, and Lilly was filled with a joy and optimism she'd never felt before. This was her year, her day to shine. She would make their king and queen happy. For the first time, she, a lesser fairy, had been chosen to be cupid.
The wind rustled through the leaves of the tree she stood in. It swirled around her lifting the edges of her already short pale blue dress and ruffled her short blond hair, causing it to gently graze the top of her bare shoulders.
With a fresh surge of energy from the brisk morning breeze, Lilly jumped from the tree branch and fluttered just above a young woman's head. Should she be her first chosen? A young man walked up and kissed the woman on the cheek and they walked away together hand in hand. No, she would not be the first, she clearly didn't need any help in the love department.
Lilly flew down a running trail a short distance, stopping to sit on the back of a bench next to an old woman feeding pigeons. Lilly listened quietly as the women cried and told the pigeons her story, a sad story. She was alone. She needed love. Yes, this woman would be her first chosen.
Confident and full of spirit Lilly stood on the back of the bench a short distance away from the old woman, pulled her bow off her shoulder and knocked a sparkling silver arrow with a glittering gold heart for the tip. This was it. The moment she would make everyone proud. With a big sway to her hips, Lilly shot the small arrow towards the woman, giggling enthusiastically.
She missed.
The arrow missed and hit a tree off in the distance. Lilly hung her head down in disappointment and flew off in the opposite direction. This was not the old woman's year. There was one main rule when you were cupid. If the arrow missed its intended there was never a second chance, at least not that year. If they were chosen the next year by the next cupid, then there was hope.
Lilly flew into the city feeling less enthusiastic than before. She couldn't miss her next target. Lilly followed the sidewalk filled with people in a rush to get to work. Who should be chosen next?
Off in the distance, a short, balding plump man yelled at a coffee cart barista. He could definitely use some love in his life. Yes, he was her next chosen.
Once she was close enough Lilly knocked another arrow and carefully aimed at the angry man who was beginning to turn red in the face from yelling at the barista and let the arrow loose. Lilly smiled ear-to-ear as the arrow flew through the air.
The arrow missed its mark and instead hit the coffee cart. The man continued yelling and Lilly flew on her way with her head hung low. This was just not her day. If she couldn't hit her next target she didn't know what she would do. She couldn't let the other fairies and especially The King and Queen down.
Lilly flew for what seemed like hours until she spotted a middle-aged woman with bushy red hair, crying in the corner of an alley. Instantly Lilly perked up. She would not miss this time. No, this woman needed love too much for her to miss. For the third time that morning Lilly knocked another arrow and shot it towards the woman.
