Eros

Chapter 24: Cupid

Eros wondered aimlessly through the same park where Zeus had punished him with one of his lightning bolts. He pondered the fact and the reasons behind for the brutal attack, but could was greeted by the same answer over and over again.

Aphrodite.

His vision blurred with mortal pain, the reflection of his broken heart. Angelina was no longer part of his life, he could feel the loss. And it killed him. She did not want to ever see him again, of that he knew. He could sense her better, now that part of the pendant had lost itself when Zeus scourged him. Where the bottom half resided, he could never guess.

When his vision became impossible because of mortal tears, Eros wandered in slow pace to a huge, shade tree. He lowered himself against its trunk and pulled his knees to his chest.

He destroyed Angelina's heart that horrifying night and he realized too late. He had been invited to Candi's sorority home for dinner when she tripped and caused her food to stain his clothes. She'd been kind enough to hand him a robe and instruct him the whereabouts of the washroom.

Eros enjoyed the feel of loud rain against his face as he adjusted the temperature. There was so much mist around him that he did not see, nor did he hear, Candi coming in to join him. She pressed her lips to his face, her hand coaxing him out of the shower and spoke in soft words,

"I've seen your Angie today, she was so ticked with you and said she thinks you're nothing more to her than a joke."

As he thought back in shame, Eros' heart fell, his head cradled between his knees, the breeze ruffling his hair. How he regretted believing those words. She had been telling him things of the same nature all along and he struggled against it, saying that Angie was nothing like that.

He thought of how Candi had smiled her cynical smile as he grabbed for his towel, her fingers on his chin as she glided her lips against his. "She cares more for food than you, Eros. We invited her for dinner and she was so angry to know that you've been with me for the past few weeks so she started to eat and eat and eat until she got them all over her clothes. That's her way of showing where her true passion lies. Then she—," Candi's eyes misted with tears, her mouth pulling down as she wept.

She brought her nose and rubbed the tip across his lashes. "She just ripped them off and pretended to cry while she danced, waving her arms around like a mad chicken, saying over and over that—" Candi started to cry, her forehead in the hollow of his shoulder.

"What did Angelina say?"

She shook her head, her sobs confusing and hurting Eros. "Tell me."

"She-she said," Candi lifted her eyes to him, her lips falling open as she reached up to kiss him. Then said between kisses, "she said that she doesn't understand how you can—oh, are you sure you want me to say this, I mean, it's awful!"

"Tell me," Eros demanded through his teeth, his heart pounding with the hurt of those words.

"Okay." Candi guided his hand to where the knot held her towel up. "This is her saying this Eros, I swear, not me. Angie said that you aren't man enough for her—just like a little cupie doll—and that she prefers women over you. Remember that girl she was with back at the Café, the one with short black hair? Well, that's her girlfriend. Her lover."

He stiffened, his hands dropping from Candi. He pushed her back, staring hard at her. She gave him a pleading look though doubt plagued him.

"Eros, I swear, I wouldn't lie to you. You know how much I love you." She wrapped her arms around him, bring him down to meet her mouth.