When The Cupid In Love

His First Task

ISABELLE'S POV

I walked along the pathway, lost in thought about the peculiar boy I'd bumped into earlier that morning. He'd been hurrying to class, his movements awkward and his gaze distant, as if lost in his own world. "What is really wrong with him?" I whispered to myself, continuing my walk. I glanced back; he was now talking with a friend, his demeanor still unsettlingly intense. "So weird," I muttered, shaking my head and resuming my walk to my room.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of classes and the start of break time. I made my way to the cafeteria, grabbed a lunch tray, and joined the line. After getting my food, I found an empty table tucked away in a quiet corner and began to eat, enjoying the relative peace. My peaceful lunch was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of three girls, their faces pinched with a mixture of boredom and malice. They curtly demanded that I vacate my table. At first, I ignored them, hoping they'd simply tire of their game, but their persistence was frankly irritating. Just as I was gathering my things to move, I saw him approaching.

"You're not going anywhere," he said, his voice cutting through the cafeteria's noise.

"Wh…what?" one of the girls stammered, looking at him incredulously.

"What do you think you're doing? Like, who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice loud and aggressive.

"I'm Adrian," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I'm a student here, obviously, and as far as I know, there's no rule in the cafeteria that allows you to just order someone to leave a table they've already occupied."

This weird guy, I thought, was unbelievably cool, even though he was still undeniably weird. A murmur of agreement rippled through the nearby tables. Clearly embarrassed, the girls gathered their things and quickly left.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the empty chair opposite me.

"As if I have a choice," I replied, a touch of sarcasm in my tone, though a flicker of gratitude warmed my chest. He sat down, offering his hand. "Adrian," he said.

"Isabelle," I replied, deliberately avoiding his outstretched hand. He lowered his hand and said, "You're the girl from Blackwood Mansion."

"And you're that heardog boy from the neighborhood," I retorted, unable to resist the playful jab.

"No," he said, shaking his head slightly. "I don't intentionally try to look and listen. I'm just… confused that finally, there's someone living in that mansion again."

I looked at him for a moment, considering his words. "Thank you for helping me earlier," I said, "but I have to go now," I added, standing up to leave.

"No," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "In the Philippines, when someone does you a good turn, it's customary to return the kindness."

"What do you want in return, then?" I asked, turning back to face him.

"Treat me," he said, a playful smile playing on his lips. "After class."

No way, I thought. This meant I had to meet this guy again. "Alright," I said, and then I walked away, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirling within me.

ADRIAN'S POV

I watched her go, still unsure if she was truly grateful or simply tolerating my presence. She's definitely weird, I thought, shaking my head slightly. Then I heard Welson shouting my name from across the cafeteria. "Adrian!" he yelled, grabbing my neck. "What did you talk about with her? And why is she walking away?"

I returned to the table and gestured for Welson to sit. "Tell me everything that happened!" he insisted, his curiosity clearly piqued. I ignored his persistent questioning and kept eating.

After class, I was left feeling confused and slightly frustrated. I hadn’t explicitly told her where we would meet. I also doubted she'd be comfortable if I simply showed up at her classroom, so I decided to wait outside the school gates for two hours. She never came. A wave of disappointment washed over me. She's not the type to hang out with a guy she just met, I reasoned, my self-deprecating thoughts painting a bleak picture. What's wrong with me? Why am I so interested? I don't believe in love. The word itself brought back the memory of the weird janitor, or rather, the guard. He was clearly crazy, telling me I was a cupid. Absurd, I thought.

I jumped, startled by a voice behind me. It was the janitor—no, the guard.

"What?" I said, turning around. "How can you hear what I'm thinking?"

"You need to listen," he said, his voice serious. "I am Carlos, and I've been assigned the duty of informing you that you are now a cupid. This is my punishment for not doing my job properly and allowing people to find love at the right time. Time, my friend, is the most important factor a cupid must consider."

He pulled out a digital tablet. "This is your first task. Find this couple," he said, showing me a picture of an elderly man and woman, Maria Quigaban and Raul Fuentes. "It's simple," he continued. "This tablet can detect their location. When they are within a three-meter radius, the tablet will ring. That's the optimal moment to orchestrate their meeting."

"But how can you hear my thoughts?" I asked, still bewildered by his explanation.

"I can hear everything you say and think since the day you were chosen to be a cupid," he replied. "Time is of the essence. You only have two days to make this first couple fall in love. Remember, if you fail, I fail. Your timer starts now!"

Just then, I heard Isabelle’s voice calling my name. "Adrian!"

I turned around; Carlos was gone, leaving only the black tablet in my hand. I immediately searched for the guard again, but the one I found insisted he was the only guard on duty that week. I felt a growing sense of unease; I was starting to think I was hallucinating. I looked towards Isabelle; she was staring at me strangely. I walked toward her, her eyes seemed to burn with intensity, her black hair dancing in the wind, her school uniform flowing around her. No, I'm not romanticizing her, am I? No way.