Avenging Cupids

Chapter 2: Rapture at First Sight

“The day that man allows true love to appear, those things which are well made will fall into confusion and will overturn everything we believe to be right and true.” 

― Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

“It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.” 

―Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

“Willow!" Kasey called for her as soon as she pranced through the school's entrance. "You’re finally here!” He ran towards her as if he were a halfback, knocking down a passerby’s books in the process. Frenzied, he grabbed Willow’s shoulders. “Oh my God! Have you seen the new guy?”

“A new kid? At this time of year?” Willow’s mind was far away, absorbed in the recurring dream that haunted her waking hours. She could see the raging river so vividly. She felt the biting cuts where the brambles pricked her legs. Most of all, she could feel the emotional and psychological pain from constant failure and evasion—the dark, sad pain that felt like the weight of the planets on her heart.

Kasey gripped her shoulders and violently shook her. “Willow! Pay attention!”

Willow let out a long-suffering sigh meant to be an acquiescence. "All right, all right." She placed her dream on top of a shelf and slammed her locker door shut, sealing the dream inside for just a few moments. “Is he cute?”

“Not even. He’s beyond cute. The man’s a Greek god.” Kasey was all hot and bothered, fanning himself with his hands like the drama queen that he was.

“OK, now I’m curious. Where is this hunk of yours? I’ll see for myself.” 

“Come on," Kasey said, instantly perking up. "Let’s find him.”

Although Willow dreaded the coming of freshmen and new boys, she was genuinely curious. She prayed to the gods of love that this new kid wouldn’t be interested in her. She hated turning cute boys down. 

The two walked down the hall hand in hand, both kept their eyes peeled for the new kid. The halls within the guts of D.C. High were a sight for sore eyes. Everything was gray: the peeling walls, the floors that were aging before Willow’s eyes, the lockers, and even the scuffed desks. The graffiti on the walls—both appealingly artistic and tastelessly vulgar—was that splash of paint that the school needed. Many of the cave paintings were Elle's pieces, which were mostly indiscernible scribbles of her name, stick figures of teachers—usually derogatory—and neon butterfly wings.

As they scoured the west wing, Kasey wrenched his searching eyes away from the halls to peek sideways at Willow. “By the way, have you found a prom date yet?”

Willow groaned. “I’m assuming you’ve spoken to Elle.” It was a rhetorical question and they both knew it. Of course Elle blabbed to Kasey. “I suppose I’ve been doing a little boy-hunting myself." She waved Kasey's eagerness away with a swish of her hand. “And I’ll have you know...I have yet to fire my hunting rifle,” she sighed.

“Speaking of which, I’m going to ask New Kid to be my prom date,” Kasey declared with his chest stuck out as if he were about to valiantly step foot on monster-infested territory.

“I thought you were going with Dean?”

“Oh crap!” Kasey face-palmed himself. He obviously forgot all about his date. 

Kasey’s given name was Klein Canberra but since his initials were K.C., he wanted to be called Kasey. Considering his sexuality, he was the only member of the male species who was lucky enough to have the opportunity of hugging and holding Willow’s hand. Since elementary school, it had always been just Willow and Elle. When high school came along, Kasey joined the crew and turned it into a trio. The three have been best friends since then.