Hello Cupid

I am Cupid

Ara had dragged her two flatmates out of the house for fresh air, insisting they were too lazy. Lime and Alice were lazy, but Ara had other plans for this trip.

"Is that Ren?" Lime said, raising her eyebrows. She quickly smoothed out her short, blonde hair and gave her best smile to the boy in the street, along with a girlish wave.

Alice gave Ara an incredulous look. "Lime - in love?"

"I think it's cute," Ara smiled.

"Oh no," Alice said. She stopped walking. "You're playing Cupid again, aren't you?"

"Absolutely not." Ara linked arms with the older girl. "I just happened to leave them together at the bowling alley one night."

Alice scoffed. "Who won the game?"

"Lime. When does she ever not win?"

They walked for a bit longer, until they got to the corner shop. "Cereal, eggs, milk," Ara instructed. She herself looked around at the breads and instant noodles.

"There's this boy outside of the bubble tea shop," Alice muttered in Ara's ear. "He's kind of hot and I think he's American."

"I'll pay then, you can talk to him," Ara said immediately. Anything to get Alice off her back now. "We'll sort out the change at home."

So Alice went to gawp at this boy, and Ara turned back to the counter, holding the shopping. Her eyes widened.

The girl behind the counter had huge eyes and a small smile on her lips. Her hair was orange, dyed of course, and Ara noticed how it shimmered slightly in the harsh lights of the shop.

"Can I help you?" the girl asked, and Ara saw a nervous tongue flick.

"I...I..." Ara tried to shut her mouth. "Can I...buy...?" She just couldn't say it.

"Are you going to buy those things?" the girl asked, pointing to Ara's basket and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Ara walked the three paces to the counter and began unloading the basket quickly. She refused to look up into those beautiful eyes.

"I need ID if you're buying alcohol," she heard the girl say.

Bus pass. Ara got it out of her back pocket and handed it over. The girl tapped something into the cash machine and waited for the reciept.

Ara had never walked out of a shop faster.

Her hands were shaking as she broke into a run along the road home.

"Hey!" Alice called, but Ara ignored her.

She ran home, locked the door and began washing her hands frantically. She washed her face and arms, then began unpacking the shopping. She was still shaking.

She put her music on, turned it up loud and began pacing. Even After School couldn't block out her thoughts.

She kept thinking of the girl in the shop.

A knocking on the door brought her to her senses. She pulled it open.

"Please could you turn the music down?" her neighbour, JR, asked. It looked like he was mouthing the words.

Ara quickly switched it off and apologised. "Sorry, I forgot there were people."

"Are you okay?" JR looked concerned.

"Fine," Ara lied.

"Good. And one more thing, we have an American exchange student coming to stay for a few weeks," JR explained, "so don't be offended if he does things differently."

Ara went to wash her hands again, hoping to get rid of the thought of this girl.

Sorry I haven't really been active here - mocks :(. Please tell me what you think of this story idea!