Cupid's Past

Chapter 1

Hi all! So I'm still kind of feeling out this story right now so it might start off a little slow so bear with me! I promise it'll start picking up soon so I hope you all enjoy the start of this novel and look forward to future updates!

Don't forget to comment/vote/follow!(:

- Ai

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"Love is a very fragile thing, son," said my mother, whose voice drifted from the other room.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. This was something very typical for her to say, but given her status as the goddess of Love, it made sense. My father was sitting in front of me, deep in thought.

"I want you to experience the world and learn something before you take on your role as Cupid, Ronan," said my father as he looked past me into the hallway where my mother's voice was coming from.

"I don't want the role," I muttered with crossed arms, gazing irritably at the frames along the walls that held forged certifications that stated he has numerous degrees in something he clearly did not.

"But you must, this was set upon your birth," my father was firm in his tone and something told me that I shouldn't be talking against him, so I didn't.

I turned on my heel and left the room, walking swiftly down the hallway. My mother's voice stopped me in my tracks and I back pedalled into her room. She has this special effect on people. I wonder why, I thought sarcastically. I walked in and looked around, refusing to meet my mother's eyes immediately. But after taking in every inch of her antiquely-decorated room, and having nowhere else to look, I finally met her eyes.

"Ronan," she breathed, her voice always carried an indescribable sweetness.

"Yes, mother," I replied, complying to her unspoken request that I listened to my father.

"Thank you," she smiled and waved in dismissal.

I ducked my head and hurried out of her room, closing the door behind me gently as to not disturb her current activities, which admittedly wasn't anything of significance; she was doing a Sudoku puzzle and only had a few more squares to fill. I walked back into my room and plopped onto my bed, a registration letter in my hand. My father decided it would be a good idea for me to attend a nearby high school to acquaint myself with humans, which I honestly find the most dreadful idea he could possibly suggest. I've seen these humans around, some of them seem civil, but others, not so much. The animalistic nature of them always left me quite speechless, and also the lack of consideration and respect that they often show one another. I was definitely not excited for my first day of school, contrary to what was often advertised when the "Back to School" sales made their appearance in attempt to foster a love for school that only lasted the first week back. I wasn't a normal teenage, so it made sense that I didn't share this same craze for the need to buy twenty notebooks and fifty pens too many for the eight classes I had; or purchased new clothes and backpacks to show off during the first week before becoming too lazy to care and drowned in sweaters and sweat pants. I tossed the letter onto my bedside table and closed my light, and watched the sky darken and then lighten again in sleeplessness.

*

I watched the sea of students as they drifted up the staircase leading to the entrance of the school; many were sporting the flashy new backpacks and clad in designer clothing that matched my prediction of how all this would play out. My parents often told me that I shouldn't hold any expectations for things or make judgements too early. They told me that it was something that humans typically made the mistake of doing. I was not a human, so I guess, these should not be mistakes I made. A narrow shoulder bumped into me from my right and I heard an apologetic squeak, I grunted in indifference without looking in their direction. Making my way through to my first class was one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life. It was borderline claustrophobic in the hallways five minutes leading up to the bell. Note to self, always arrive early or late. Anything was better than being in this zoo of a school.

My first class was a bore, but my second class was slightly more entertaining because we had a student walk in high and almost mooned the whole class in their quest to show us the birthmark on their butt. Actually, that was kind of disturbing, I take that back about it being entertaining. I just wanted the lunch period to come, not so I could eat, eating wasn't that big of a necessity for me, but more so I could get some air that didn't smell like weed, sweat, anxiety, and puberty. Fortunately, since it was high school, there wasn't any awkward class introductions. Everyone more or less knew that you were new and left you to figure things out on your own, which I was more than happy with. I wasn't here to make friends, I was simply here to observed and gain experience as my father had put it. I was still not quite sure what he meant by that.

"Hey, new kid, mind if I join you?" I lifted my head to see a boy roughly my height, maybe a little taller than I was, cropped black hair and dark, almost black eyes, staring down at me. I chose the most obscure table in the back of the cafeteria to avoid any interaction, but I guess I wasn't discrete enough to avoid his attention.

"Sure," I muttered as he plopped his tray down next too mine before settling himself down in front of it.

"How do you find the school so far?" he asked in a offhanded manner.

Well, he wasn't irritating me so far, so I guess it was going well.

"Could be better, could be worse," I gave a rather vague answer and shrugged, my fork mindlessly shifting the food on my plate.

He chuckled at my reply and patted me a little too forcefully on the back, making me choke on the food that I was attempting to swallow. I pounded on my chest a few times, coughing. He smiled apologetically when he noticed, and then extended a hand towards me. I blinked at it.

"The name's Tobias," he introduced himself with a shake of my hand, his grasp firm but not threatening.

"Ronan," I replied in a low voice.

"Well, Ronan," he raised his can of Seven-Up towards me, "here's to a short, but hopefully worthwhile friendship." I clinked my coke can with him and took a sip, and wondered just how I managed to begin this unexpected friendship. Little did I know just how much this friendship was going to impact my life and experience amongst the humans.

"Hey, Vienna!" I heard Tobias suddenly shout across the cafeteria.

I looked around and spotted a small girl who looked similar to Tobias, long black hair but with mossy green eyes behind round classes. She blushed when she spotted me beside him and looked away, rushing in quickly in the opposite direction from where we sat.

"That's weird, maybe she didn't see us," Tobias scratched his head in a confused manner, but quickly shook it off. She definitely saw us, but for some reason chose not to come over. I wonder why. "That's my step sister," Tobias explained, "Same father, different mother."

I nodded slowly at the new information that Tobias provided me with, but was unsure as to why it would be of any significance to me.

*

When I arrived home, I knew that I had to report to my father about my day. I begrudgingly trudged towards his room and stopped outside his door. As usual, he sat at his desk, staring unblinkingly at this desktop doing what I was still unsure of. He looked at me through the top of his glasses that was more for show than of actual need.

"I made a friend today," I shrugged. This made him quirk a brow.

"A . . . friend?" he placed great emphasis on the word, as though testing it out with his lips.

I nodded and left the room without a second glance.

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Who do you think Tobias is and why do you think he's going to be important? What about Vienna? Is she a potential love interest or maybe she's going to end up as an antagonist. Stay alert for the next update and I'll see you all soon!(;

- Ai