Free The Cupid War by Timothy Carter Page B

mental note to find the girl someone else to focus on as soon as possible.
    As French class let out, Fallon followed Trina down the hall. He tried to keep his distance; she could sense him, and he didn’t want her any more freaked out than she was.
    When she headed into the stairwell, however, Fallon realized he might have a problem. She’s going to room 218, he remembered, and he looked around for someone going in the same direction. Luckily there were lots of students heading upstairs to their next class; Fallon reached into a boy’s back, touched his heart, and got a free ride up to the second floor. Two steps later, he let go, then walked quickly to catch up with Trina.
    â€œHey, spirit girl!”
    Fallon looked left and saw a small group of girls gathered around a locker. When Trina looked at them, they waggled their fingers beside their heads and said, “Wooo!”
    Trina turned away sharply and walked faster. The girls laughed at her back, and one of them called “Spirit girl!” again.
    Oh, man, Fallon thought. Not exactly popular, is she?
    Room 218 was at the end of the hall, near the entrance to the library. Trina hurried in and took a seat in the same position as in her last class—in the middle and against the wall. The class was about half full of students, most of whom sat near the back. There was plenty of space around Trina; their conversation would be undisturbed. The teacher at the front had her nose buried in a Harlequin; she wouldn’t interfere, either.
    â€œHello again, Trina,” Fallon said, standing in the wall beside her.
    Hello , she wrote back. Who are you? What do you want with me?
    â€œI told you, my name is Fallon,” he said. “I’m a Cupid. I make people fall in love.”
    Seriously?
    â€œYeah, didn’t really believe it either, not at first,” Fallon said. “Look, you’re still kind of freaked out, right?”
    Yes.
    â€œOkay then,” Fallon said. “I’ll tell you about myself and what I’m doing here. If you know me better, you’ll see I’m nothing to be scared of.”
    Okay .
    â€œRight,” Fallon said, and he began.
    It took him only ten minutes to tell Trina about his death and rebirth. She listened without saying (or writing) anything, and when he was finished, Fallon had to wonder if she’d paid any attention at all.
    Louis sounds like a real jerk , she wrote, putting Fallon’s fears to rest.
    â€œHe sure is,” he replied. “Well, is there anything you want to ask me?”
    Plenty , she wrote. How do you make people fall in love? Wait, I have another question first. What is your problem with Susan?
    â€œThat,” Fallon said with a sigh, “is a long story.”
    I have half an hour left. Tell me.
    Fallon walked through her desk and sat on the floor beside it. He’d known he would have to tell her, but that didn’t make it any easier for him.
    â€œShe’s the reason I wanted to kill myself,” he said, and he told her about Susan Sides. It took another ten minutes, starting with the time he first met her and finishing with the events of that fateful, awful day.
    â€œI don’t know if she does it on purpose,” Fallon said, “but that doesn’t stop the effect she has on people. That’s why I need your help, Trina. We’ve got to get Ryan away from her.”
    He looked up to see if Trina had a response. She was looking in his direction; she must have sensed his shift in position.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she whispered.
    â€œThanks,” Fallon said. “You’re a great listener.”
    She smiled at that, a really pretty smile.
    I’m going to make someone love that smile, he thought.
    â€œI’ll talk to Susan,” Trina whispered. “Maybe I can get her to see the c ounselor.”
    â€œShe won’t go,” Fallon told her. “Trust me on this. I tried, but she wouldn’t do it.