“How much is this little toy laser gun?” 20-year-old Steve asked the shop clerk.
She looked up from her small book and practically jumped out of her seat, yelping, “HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU’RE POINTING THAT THING!” Steve was surprised by her reaction but did as she told him, lowering the gun to point at the floor. She visibly relaxed. “That ‘toy’ is anything but. You know Cupid?” Steve raised an eyebrow.
“The diapered baby with arrows?” he asked.
“Something like that,” the shopkeep replied. “Well, let’s just say what you are holding is Cupid’s attempt at a modern-day replacement for his trusty bow and arrow.”
“So…” Steve paused and stared at the gun in his hand. “So this thing makes the person it shoots fall in love with the first person they see?”
“That was the intention, yes,” the shopkeep said. She started to say more but Steve interrupted her.
“How much?” Steve asked again.
“You realize that it was in the bin with the other broken– oh never mind,” she said with a shake of the head. “A sale is a sale. 20 bucks.” Steve stared at her in disbelief at the cost. “A witc-I mean a woman needs to eat. 20 bucks or no sale.”
“Fine,” Steve said. This lady sure was weird, even if this toy gun actually did as she said.
Thirty minutes later, he was walking into the college recreation center. One half was for hanging out while the other half was for working out. He saw his good friend Sarah standing by one of the lockers. She was staring out into space. Steve followed her gaze. Nope, not into space, he realized with a roll of his eyes. Sarah was staring at Kyle as he worked out. He was Steve’s roommate last year, which was how Sarah met Kyle. Ever since that fateful day, he had been the object of her silent obsession, or affection as she called it. Steve walked up to Sarah and coughed loudly, making her jump.
“Gah! Don’t scare me like that you jerk!” Sarah complained with a mock frown.
“Sorry, but you’ve got your sniper eyes on again,” Steve told her, the phrase he used to casually remind her that she had been caught staring at Kyle…again.
“What? No I don’t,” she protested. Steve gave her an unamused look. “Okay fine! Guilty! I can’t help it! Kyle’s just so…ugh!”
“Here’s an idea, why don’t you go talk to him?!” Steve suggested. “You know, the thing I’ve been insisting you do for the past year!”
“You say it like it’s easy!” Sarah said. “You know I can’t handle rejection well.” Steve’s thoughts drifted to the Cupid Gun.
“You don’t know he’ll say no,” Steve replied, coming up with a plan. “Besides, I’ll be here to comfort you in case he does. I know Kyle. If he says no, which I honestly doubt, he’ll let you down gently.”
Sarah looked back to Kyle curiously, “You really think he won’t say no?”
“Only one way to find out!” Steve said. “Go talk to him at least.”
Sarah huffed. “Okay. I’ll do it!” She took a deep breath and began to walk towards Kyle. Steve took the opportunity to fish the Cupid Gun out of his bag. He looked it over briefly to see if there was anything other than pointing and shooting. He shrugged and hoped for the best. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching him and took aim towards Kyle, who stopped lifting weights as Sarah approached him. He pulled the trigger.