Worst Cupid Ever

Run

"Do you think it will scar?" Genevieve asked as she observed the scab on her jaw with her front camera.

"I hope not," Ada said in a bright voice.

Frowning, Genevieve dropped her phone on her belly and observed the cupid. She was sitting on the chair by her bed, eyes fixed on the coin-shaped pendant hanging from her necklace. Something wasn't right. On a normal day, Ada was a ball of sunshine, but for the past two days, her bright attitude seemed like a front.

They were back at Genevieve's mum's estate in Abuja. After that horrifying night, she regained consciousness in a car speeding to the nearest hospital. The worst was the bruise spread across her lower ribs, but the pain meds were doing wonders so far. The impact of the bullet on the vest had hurt like hell, contrary to the belief that a bulletproof vest provided all-around safety. They said one of the bullets barely missed her head before she noped out and fainted.

"Hey." Genevieve waited until Ada lifted her head.

"What?" She asked with that same smile.

Genevieve frowned and cocked her head. "Why is your smile sad?"

"Pfft!" Ada shook her head and looked away. "My smile isn't sad. Why would you say that my smile is s-sad?" Her voice cracked.

"Ada?" Genevieve sat up. She wished she could hold the cupid's hand. "Is everything alright?"

Biting the corner of her lower lip, Ada dropped her gaze to her hand. She was clutching her pendant. "I—"

When a tear tracked down her face, Genevieve panicked. "Hey, what's the problem? Tell me."

Genevieve pushed her bedsheet aside and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. Her heart squeezed when Ada's face crumpled and more tears fell.

"I wasn't thinking when I did it." Her brow bunched as she cupped her forehead. "No. I was—I was thinking and not thinking all at once."

"You are confusing me, Ada," Genevieve said in a gentle voice. "Can you tell me why you are crying? I'm beginning to panic." And feel like crying as well.

"The insurgents. They were going to kill you so I acted. I hurt them."

Genevieve felt a chill. Now it all made sense. How the insurgents had been in her front and when she came to Ray told her how the insurgents suddenly weren't there after the shooting. "You... you did that?" she asked in a low bewildered voice.

Ada nodded, shoulders shaking as she cried harder. "Now—" She hiccupped. "Now, I'm in trouble, bigger trouble than I've ever been in. I wanted to pretend like I didn't care but... I'm so scared. I can't even—I can't even meet Teddy. They will take me from him. They will take my wings."

"But you saved me. Why would they punish you for that?" Genevieve knelt in front of the weeping cupid. "Why would they take your wings?"

Drops of tears fell onto Ada's lap as she sniffed. "I hurt five of them. One of them will never walk again."

"That's awesome," Genevieve said, feeling justified satisfaction. "How is that a bad thing? They were killing people."

"You don't understand." Ada met her eyes as she swept her arm over her wet face. "People are people to cupids. There is nothing like good or bad. And I'm not a Guardian or Protector; I had no right to do that."

"Let me get this straight." Genevieve sat cross-legged in front of Ada's chair. "Because you hurt those people while protecting me, you will be separated from your friends and lose your wings?"

Ada sniffed again and nodded. "Yes."

"I see." Genevieve frowned as she thought about it. But the more she thought of it, the more she realised this was completely out of her league. "I don't know what to say."