From her spot on the roof, Ada watched Raymond drive through the tall wrought iron gates of the senator's home and disappear past a bend.
Moments before he arrived, Ada and Genevieve had had a teensy little fight. Genevieve was being unreasonable. She had insisted on putting Raymond through some series of silly tests for her amusement. Ada had begged her to at least share what the tests would be about.
You're a cupid. Pry into my mind with your strange magic and figure it out.
That's not how it works. We can't read minds.
Too bad then.
Ada had been mortified when she saw how Genevieve planned to meet Raymond. The shirt she wore had stains on it. Stains! And that ridiculous beauty product she had smeared all over her face? Nothing she said had convinced Genevieve to wash it off.
Now seated on the roof with knees drawn to her chest, Ada couldn't stop Luke's words from playing on a loop in her mind. The fear of getting dropped, whatever that means, wouldn't let her truly relax. Things weren't going according to plan. Genevieve was supposed to follow the direction of the love expert, which Ada was... or was she?
Ada felt Teddy's presence before he settled next to her. After some minutes of silence, he bumped his shoulder against hers. "Why the sad eyes?"
"Hey," Ada mumbled as she glanced his way. Teddy's usually frizzy hair was a tad tamed today. When her gaze dropped to his feet, she smiled. "You got rid of those awful boots."
He sent a cheeky grin her way. "You asked politely." Splaying his hands behind him, Teddy stretched his legs and began knocking the tip of his converse together. "So, how's it going?"
"Badly. She's not cooperating. What if..." Shutting her eyes, Ada voiced her worry. "What if this match is a trap? Something to ensure I fail and—"
"Nah, I don't think it's that deep. The One Up High is not cruel."
Ada opened her eyes and frowned as an odd thought occurred to her. "What if there's no One Up High? What if it's all the Helmets doing? Matches and everything."
"Well, I know that thoughts like that wouldn't help make your match go smoother," Teddy said with a shrug. "What you have with—what's her name?"
"Genevieve."
"What you have with Genevieve is unique. Go with the flow. You can't force love and attraction."
"Yeah, yeah, Love 101. I know." Ada absently traced circles on a roof tile. "But it feels like she's sabotaging what should be easy. I told her who her love interest is going to be, and even showed her his picture. That is priceless information. Many humans would die to know that."
"Die?" Teddy lifted an eyebrow and chuckled. "Wrong analogy, Ada-soda."
"You know what I mean." Sighing, she hugged her knees tighter. "It gets worse. The file says the match will have a rifter."
Teddy whistled low. "Damn. Those beings are—" He sat up. "Want to do something fun?"
"I'm not in the mood for a race," Ada said dismally.
"Who said anything about racing? Let's trail the dude. What's his name?"
"Raymond." Ada straightened too, curious but also wary. She had never really used that method before. For every match she was assigned to, she limited her contact to the main assignment, in this case, Genevieve.
Standing, Teddy straightened his jacket over his shoulders before offering her a hand. "Come on. This will be fun. It's a good thing to know what you are up against."
***
It wasn't difficult to locate Raymond. After leaving the senator's home, he drove to a tall office complex in the Central Business District. The two cupids followed him into the well-lit lobby of the building. Ada glanced around, taking in every polished surface, weird sculpture, and the stoical suit-wearing middle-aged man seated in the lobby.
Soon after talking with him, Raymond headed for the lift. They rushed in just in time to see him press number 14. Top floor, huh?
"I am so excited." Ada did a little wiggle. "Why have I never done this with my previous matches?"
Dusting invisible lint off a shoulder, Teddy leaned against the mirrored wall of the lift. "You are in the company of a master cupid. Learn well." when he attempted to ruffle her hair, Ada slapped his hand away at the last moment.
Raymond was on the phone. "...yeah. I'm like 2 seconds away from your office." He listened for a second and laughed before ending the call.
They made it out of the lift and into another wide lobby. Polished marble floor. Edgy sofas. Bright lighting and several lush house plants.
Ada tugged at Teddy's leather jacket as she rushed ahead. "I wonder what I'd find out about Raymond. All I have are the details in my logger."
Teddy paused, forcing Ada to stop too.
She turned to face him. "What?"
"Stick to what's in your logger. There are no shortcuts to this, Ada. Read the details in your logger over and over. Whatever the Division says about an assignment is always thorough and super useful."
Ada frowned. "So why are we trailing Raymond?"
"Because of the rifter, dumdum. You've been hanging out with Genevieve for over a week with no sign of a rifter. That would mean the troublemaker is probably chilling around Raymond."
Ada's jaw dropped. "No way."
"I bet my favourite leather jacket that I am correct." Swinging an arm over her shoulders, Teddy pulled her along. "Come on."
They followed Raymond into a sleek spacious office just in time to see a large bearded smiling man rise from his seat. His tie was loosened, and the cuffs of his shirt were folded up his brawny arms.
"Gosh, dude looks like a freakin' pro-wrestler," Teddy said through the corner of his mouth as they gawked at the muscular giant.
"Tola," Raymond's smile was bright and genuine. "It's been ages."
"And it's Raymond Dominic in the actual flesh. Haha!" Both men hugged, slapping each other on the back and laughing.
Finally, they pulled apart. "What the hell happened to all your hair, man?"
Chuckling, Tola swept a hand over his hairless head. "They kept falling off like that creepy scene in The Craft. Had to." He mimicked snipping motions with his fingers as he settled into his seat.
Raymond sat too. "Doesn't look so bad on you though. The Humpty vibe suits you."
As both men laughed again, a sudden movement to Ada's left snatched her attention. Clutching Teddy's lean arm, Ada shook him. "Did you see that?" she whisper-yelled.
"Yep." Teddy looked in the same direction the shadow had moved. "That has to be a rifter. Told you I'd be right about this."
"Five years."
Squeaking, Ada whipped around. The voice sounded like a child's; a tad high-pitched but also ominous. She had never seen a rifter before and had never bothered to pay attention in class to know enough about their appearance. Were they like imps? Membranous skin. Batty wings. Sharp teeth. She trembled and squeezed Teddy's arm tighter.
"I've been with this fun sponge for five years," the voice said, this time sounding closer. "Not a glimpse of a cupid for five whole years then boom—"
He appeared so suddenly that Ada threw her hands around Teddy, yelling in fright. She only stopped squeezing the life out of Teddy when she heard laughter.
"I got you good."
Blinking, Ada took in the Rifter's appearance. Just like her, he resembled a regular eight-year-old kid if such a kid lived in ancient Japan. Cocking her head, Ada took in his unusual attire. A samurai's costume, complete with a sheathed sword swinging from his waist.
After his laughing fit, the rifter straightened and solemnly offered an outstretched hand. "I am Haruto."
"Hello, Haruto." Teddy shook his hand immediately, pumping it up and down and grinning. "You are the third rifter I'm meeting and by far the most unique."
"Huh?" Ada stared from Haruto to Teddy. What was going on? Teddy was acting like this wasn't weird. And why was the rifter wearing a samurai costume? Was that normal? Do all rifters wear samurai costumes or was it unique to this particular rifter?
"Tell me you guys are here to rescue this sad man." Haruto gestured at Raymond with a look of pity. "I have suffered—SUFFERED—for five years. I want out."
"B-but," Ada frowned. "I thought rifters are supposed to love situations like that. You guys are anti-cupids."
Haruto furrowed his brow. "Well, I've been told by one or two rifters that I am the worst rifter there is. My stint with this guy is my longest ride and I have aged I tell you, AGED." He morphed into an old slouching version of himself. Long grey beard flowing to the ground, knobby wooden staff held in a liver-spotted hand. Skin wrinkled and sagging.
Teddy howled with laughter. Ada could only stare, jaw slack, and mind reeling. Haruto behaved like her. She loved to change her appearance now and then for shock value and laughs.
With a cheeky smile, Haruto straightened and returned to his much younger form. With a snap of his finger, three low stools and a small round table appeared. "While the humans catch up, let's do the same."
After they sat, Haruto placed a hand over his shoulders, and just like in the case of cupids, a backpack materialised. "Tea, anyone? This tea is about 5,000 years old. One of the most treasured brews of the Shang Dynasty."
"Yep, tea is good," Teddy answered immediately, not even blinking at the unfolding weirdness.
After pulling out a teapot and cups, Haruto went about brewing the tea. Ada recognised the teapot as a much older version of a self-filling and heating pot made by the Highbrows. How did a rifter get his hand on one?
"How old are you?" Ada asked tentatively. No way he was 5,000 years old.
"Twenty Eight," Haruto answered with breezy casualness as he filled their cups with steaming tea. "You?"
"I'm fourteen. Teddy is eighteen. He is the best Cupid in our Division," Ada added proudly.
"Ah." Haruto paused his serving and observed Teddy. "The best at eighteen. Luke must be proud."
"You know Luke?" Ada and Teddy asked in unison.
"Yep. Stiff unsmiling fella. Obsessed with perfection."
"We are from the Southern Cupid Division and not the North," Teddy said. "Luke is one of the Helmets of the Northern Cupid Division."
"Oh... I see." Haruto frowned as if caught in a distant memory, but in a blink, the expression was replaced with his bright smile. "Let's get to business. What are your plans? How do we make this match work? Does Raymond's love interest happen to be the girl he met today? She's pretty."
"I know, right." Ada beamed with pride. "Her name is Genevieve—"
"Woah, Woah, Woah!" Teddy cut in as he dropped his teacup. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to discuss your match with a rifter. Rifters rift matches, remember?"
Haruto winced. "Aw, come on, man... cut me some slacks. Matches are exciting. It has been ages since I've been in the field."
"What do you mean matches are exciting?" Ada dropped her teacup too and speared Haruto with a suspicious gaze. Something wasn't right here. "What field?"
Slapping a hand over his mouth, Haruto looked everywhere but at them.
A horrible possibility began to take form in Ada's mind. No way. There was simply no way what she was thinking was right. "Are you..."
Haruto was shaking his head now, dark wavy hair whipping about and eyes wide with denial.
"Were you once a cupid?" Ada asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Haruto snapped trembling fingers. The table disappeared but the teacups and pot fell to the ground and shattered.
Haruto sprung to his feet. "Oh man, oh man. So clumsy. So stupid." With still trembling hands, he began picking the shards but appeared confused about what to do with them. Kneeling next to him, Teddy placed a hand over his, halting his frenzied movements.
"I think you should stop."
"But I made a mess. I'm so stupid, you know? I don't know how to do anything right."
Reaching a hand over her shoulder, Ada retrieved a small carton dustbin from her backpack and knelt next to a now frazzled Haruto. In silence, they disposed of every shard and wiped the floor clean with the napkins Teddy provided. Yes, they were cupids and the mess they make cannot be seen with the human eyes, but it seemed it was important to Haruto to clean it up.
"I was fourteen when I was dropped," Haruto said after a moment of silence.
Fear, the cold sudden kind, squeezed Ada's chest. It can't be. No way. The Helmets will never drop her. They would never. Maya, Tasha, and Bo loved her. They—
"No trial. No inquiry from the Southern Cupid Division. Nothing. It happened so suddenly. I-I had failed every single match and Luke said something about my grace meter running out."
Grace meter? Ada and Teddy exchanged a look. They were taught nothing about grace meters. What was going on in the Northern Cupid Division?
"T-the heads of the rifters took my wings. Not like I needed them anyway." Haruto chuffed as his eyes grew vacant and misty. "They made me sit for hours and hours of classes that were so... anti cupid. Five years of that. I was made to unlearn everything that had to do with being a cupid. The worst part wasn't the sudden change of environment. No. The absolute worst was my inability to get Luke's words out of my head."
Since her fight with Genevieve, Ada had been unable to get Luke's words out of her head too. Maybe she should pay the Helmets a visit and ask questions. If she failed her match, was there a way to escape getting dropped? She would beg, cry—do anything to never get dropped.
"But everything Luke said was the truth." Haruto shook his head and released a humourless laugh. "I couldn't get a single match to work. Not one." He raised a shaky finger. "I am useless. A failure. I can't do anything right, even as a rifter, I suck so, so bad. And I have been so lonely, you wouldn't believe it. I miss being up there in the clouds. I miss it. But I do not fit in with cupids or rifters. I just..." He slumped both shoulders and sighed. "Please give me a chance to feel what it was like to be cupid. I promise not to ruin anything."
________________________________________________________________________________
Poor Haruto.
Fun fact: I did a lot of Worldbuilding for the cupid and rifter aspects of this story. When it was time to start publishing this story, I had to chop out chunks (whole chapters in some cases) in order to not bore ya'll out of your minds. 😅
Decided to add worldbuilding elements about cupids and rifters in small doses across the story. Yet, I still feel like it might be boring. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will have some Genevieve and Raymond interactions.😉
Do not forget to vote and comment. Tankyu 💕