Chapter 2
Daria let out a tired sigh as she rang the doorbell to Jane's apartment. Daria had originally lived there with her for over two years, but since she would be married soon, she and Tom decided to find a place of their own. He'd move in with her after the wedding, and Jane would find another roommate soon, but until then, the two girls lived alone.
Jane didn't take long to open the door. "Yo."
"Hi," Daria said as she stepped inside. She made her way into the living room area, carefully avoiding random junk that lay on the floor. "Somebody needs a cleaning lady."
"Mm, can't find anybody that works as cheaply as you did."
"I did it for free."
"Exactly. Now, enough with the small talk," Jane said, waving her hand as an indication that Daria should sit. "What's with this Holiday Island business? I thought we settled this a long time ago."
Daria sat down on the paint-stained couch. "I know, but…. how sure are we that it was a dream?"
"Very sure. You remember what that book said. When people go through the same situations in real life, they can have similar dreams. So, you, me, and Trent accidentally ate some expired Chinese food and fell asleep watching Behind the Music and a documentary on holiday origins and presto! Dreams about an all-Holiday rock band from a hole in the Chinese place."
"I know, I know." Daria looked down.
"And there's the fact that the dream spanned at least five days while we only slept for about eight hours."
"Yes, I know," Daria said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Every piece of logic points to the fact that it was just a fantasy but…it was so real!"
Jane bit her lip. "Well, yeah, but still."
"Look, there's something I haven't told you yet. Remember at my commitment ceremony how Trent sang that Barry White song?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Oh, that was horrible." She winced as she remembered the awful rendition.
"Do you also remember how Cupid liked to do Barry White impersonations?" Jane was silent. "Trent said the person who requested the song was called 'Eros', and Jane, I could've sworn that I saw him."
She stood with her eyes wide. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything," she said, trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Daria.
"Well, think about this. Right before the 'dream' ended, Cupid said he'd help with our love lives because we helped him. Guess who showed up three months later?"
She thought for a moment, until she realized with surprise….."Tom." She shook her head. "Is that why you're getting so worked up about this?"
Daria gave her a long, sad look. "Jane, I don't want to marry a thank you present."
Jane frowned and said concernedly, "Aw, come on, Daria. Don't be like that. Those are just coincidences. It wasn't real."
"But I have a feeling in my gut that they aren't coincidences!" Daria insisted. "And if they aren't, then he doesn't really…." she trailed off, getting more and more depressed.
"Well.." Jane swallowed. "What if we went down to the Chinese restaurant? If you saw there was no hole there, would you stop with this whole Cupid thing?"
Daria looked interested in the idea. "Yeah, I guess."
"Terrific. Let's go."
"Now?" Daria looked at the clock on the wall. "It's almost 1:30."
"Well, it's obvious that you're just going to dwell on it unless we do something now." She put her hands on her hips.
"Well, we can't go to Lawndale now, so what can we do?"
"I don't know." Jane thought a minute. "Wait…I--- no, that's stupid."
"No, wait, what was your idea?"
"Forget it. It probably wouldn't work, and we'd just end up looking dumb."
"Jane, I promise: I'm up to trying anything."
"Anything?"
"Anything. What do you suggest?"
"Well…" Jane rubbed her chin in thought. "Obviously, if Cupid does exist, he's got magical powers, right?"
Daria thought back to her experiences with him. "I guess."
"So maybe he could appear to us at a moment's notice!"
Daria looked doubtful. "Possibly. How would we get him to come here, though?"
"Well, here's the tricky part. He must have a way of knowing things about us, or else why would he and St. Patrick's Day ask you to help them with their problem?"
"So, you're saying he's spying on us?"
"No, but maybe he's got some omniscient powers or something…. I dunno. See, I told you it was stupid."
"No, no. Go on. I'm listening."
Jane sighed. "Ok. So, I'm thinking if we can get his attention, he could come over here. So, if he showed up, then you'd know it obviously would know it wasn't a dream."
"And if he didn't show up, then he either doesn't exist, or we'd have to make a trip later to the Chinese place."
"Right."
"So, how are we supposed to get his attention?"
"Actually…" She smiled uncomfortably. "…I do have this one idea." She cleared her throat and began to sing. "Stupid Cupid you're a real mean guy. I'd like to clip your wings so you can't fly."
"Oh, please, no. No singing." Daria buried her head in her hands.
"You have a better idea?"
"Yes, how about yelling 'Hey Cupid!'?"
"Nah, we got to annoy him to make him come fast."
"Well, that would be the way to do it." She wrinkled her nose at Jane's poor singing skills.
"Oh, shut up and join in. I am in love an it's a crying shame, and I know that you're the one to blame. Hey, hey, set me free."
Reluctantly, Daria joined her. "Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me."
"You mixed me up for good right from the very start. Hey go play Robin Hood with somebody else's heart."
"Oh shut up," cried a voice from the other side of the room. "I hate that song!"
The two girls turned around to face the source of the voice and stared in shock.
"You rang?" Cupid said, grimacing.
