Cupid's Hat

The new morning came and drowsiness swept over Coraline.

She let out a long yawn, her hair was tangled from her deep sleep and she was barely dressed.

"Last night-"

Coraline tried to recall how she got home. She and Vivianne fought a bit outside and her friend was giving the mandatory run down to Coraline.

Then she mindlessly entered her home as if she was living out her day-to-day routine. It was when she was reminiscing of her and Vivianne as young girls did she got to sleep.

Mama's words started to echo in Coraline's mind until it hit her like the sound of a church bell being run.

"Time!"

She flipped over to the other side of her bed to peek through her window from the curtain, "Shit," Coraline scooched off of her bed rushing to grab all of her things.

She pushed through her closet settling on a peach pink dress paired with an identical hat to it.

Coraline slipped herself into the frame for her dress. Then she took a brush and began ripping through the forest that grew on her head overnight.

She did a breath test before falling over from her morning stench, "Euh!"

After her teeth began to glisten, she looked around with her door's key in hand until her eyes laid on the pocket of photos she had. She reached over and snatched it before locking the door and running down the stairs.

Coraline ran through the streets brushing past people who chose turtle speed that day. Soothing them with her hushed apologies as she continues her journey.

Just a day ago she didn't realize there was a place like Mama's until yesterday.

From the setting of the sun Coraline still had some time before the afternoon came. Regrettably, her friend was the one to carry the watch and all she had to do was look over and see it or ask her for the time.

After a few more fast-paced walking and short breaks Coraline reached Mama's place.

"Pardon my intrusion," she tipped her hat to get a glance at who else was there.

The place was crowded and full to the brim with people. She slowly shut the door behind her and clenched her hand—her heart was still filled with anxiety.

People had no sense for personal space as everyone was pushed up against some other stranger. She tried to squeeze through the crowd until she could faintly hear Mama's voice.

"She's coming man don't worry-"

Everything else felt faded away.

"Sorry," everyone looked like they never had a day full of anger. Each person she pushed past was laughing happily and meeting her with eyes full of bliss.

'They aren't drunk, are they?'

The smell in the air started to infiltrate Coraline's senses, she pinched her nose closed and kept going in the direction of Mama's voice.

"Vivi's friend!"

A hand reached out and wrapped around her left arm, snatching her from the crushing crowd.

"Mama!" Coraline reached her arms around Mama, her mind felt like a scattered mess.

Her head felt immediate emptiness, Coraline patted her head unable to find her hat. She peeked her head from Mama's figure meeting eyes with a tall man.

The man played with the feather on her hat, "Coraline I presumed?" The man fitted the hat on his head.

His almond skin was blankly revealed from his loose light clothing, his hair was shaven until it was just a buzz-cut.

Coraline eyes traveled all over him he had a sturdy and toned build alongside an anklet with charms that announced every step his right foot made.

Armaan noticed her gaze and pointed out his ankle, "It'll be on my right when we wed."

She let out a soft laugh to make it look like she understood. Mama unraveled her arms from his waist and shook her shoulder firmly, "Armaan's heard a bit about you darling through me but take a seat over there and get to know each other a bit more."

Armaan calmly stuck his arm out towards Coraline—she linked her arm with his.

"Okay."

She looked over to the man she was connected with who looked set on making it to their designated seats.

"Raya said you were a woman of business."

"Who- Do you mean Mama?"

Armaan nodded, "Has she told you anything about me?"

Coraline met him with a plain look, "Not much, only that you were a traveler."

He chuckled before gazing at her more intently. Letting her take notice of his honey-brown eyes that seemed mixed with an emerald color.

"I guess that's most of it," He viewed what was around him, before resting his head in his hand, "I'm a craftsman, I can sing and I can fulfill your wishes, Coraline. I'll be your lover man."

She interrupted his words, "There must be something you want, no?"

Nothing ever comes for free, if he was voluntarily seeking out her then he must've had his demands too.

Her words must've caught Armaan's attention since his unique eyes gaped over at her, "By chance do you have a photograph of yourself?"

Coraline immediately thought back to the pocket of pictures she had tucked next to her chest, "Why?"

"As you know, my family does not live here and in a few days I'll be visiting them so I want to show them my wife."

She reached over to him and took her hat back—Armaan lightly closed his eyes as she took back her belonging.

'Wife?' Coraline analyzed him more closely, 'He looks better than what I had envisioned but that basically means we'd sign the papers tomorrow.'

She reached inside her clothing, Armaan avoided staring as she took out the pocket, "Ironically I do," usually Coraline only brought her pictures as a conversation starter when no words came out naturally.

Coraline flipped through the pictures for a more recent one. She only had these since one of Vivianne's brothers took inspiration from her and did portraits of her.

He seamlessly captured most of her details even though it was black and white.

Armaan's fingers stopped at one photo where she posed with her face at three-quarters and her shoulder was revealed with a dark velvet dress.

In the photo, Vivianne's brother was on edge about making the results as good as possible. He promised her a small copy like he did with all the other photos he took of her.

The reason she became his 'muse' was for the reason she caught him stalking her every time she came to the Sixes home.

Gale was three years older than Coraline at the time who was still a young girl.

Despite a busy schedule and schooling, Gale would still peek through the small crevice of the door. Each time she knew he was there but tried to ignore the off feeling of being watched by him.

Gale had bright blonde hair and even lighter eyelashes, that's why Coraline pushed off the awkwardness that was building up between them. She tried to think of him as those pure-minded angel-looking boys.

He had a light tone while speaking as well so Coraline didn't think of his intentions as ill.

Coraline started to try to push away her gut feeling to confront him until it got to the point where Gale would try to get down the times she'd arrive at her home and to the Sixes home.

That's when she waited for Vivianne to have to attend an errand for her father did she go up to Gale and ask him what he was trying to do.

Bluntly he was truthful with her and asked to take her portraits.

In the beginning, she was put off by this. Only when Vivianne opened up to her about her brothers and Gale was it when Coraline changed her mind about him.

She agreed to do one but found herself going each time he requested. He had a gentle character and looked happier each time she visited him.

When Gale got a girlfriend, she didn't think much of it—she was relieved hearing the news. He wasn't like the other boys who preyed on her with only the most ominous things in mind.

Coraline handed over the photograph.

Armaan took it from her without hesitation and held it up in admiration.

"Who took this?"

"My friend's brother did," she smiled as he tucked it inside his clothes.

Inching closer to him, curiosity got the best of Coraline, "Where are you from," after her words blurted out, she winced at the thought of him returning her question.

To her surprise, Armaan didn't.

Alternatively, he gave her a general answer, "A place with a mouthful of deserts."

Coraline clenched at her dress, "How will we keep in touch?"

"Ideally, you give me your address and I will dedicate many letters to you," he smirked at her as she awkwardly returned the expression.

Tranquility paced through Coraline, and she felt better with Armaan's reassurance.

"I usually prefer my woman with longer hair, but I think you'll be my only exception," he picked her hand from Coraline's lap and kissed it softly.

Her eyebrows pulled in more closely on her face, 'Was this his idea of smothering me?'