Chapter Four - Rumors Fly

"I'm tired of being second best."

"You've never been second best!" Her eyes are welling up with tears.

"Really? Because that's what it seems like."

"Brody, please, just tell me what's wrong!"

"You went off - alone - with another guy!"

"It wasn't like that, and you know that!"

"No, I don't! I see the blatant truth."

"You're jumping to conclusions!"

I take a deep breath. "Look, maybe...maybe we just need a break."

"Brody..." It comes out as a whisper.

"A break." I repeat, and I glance at her beside table. There's her Grimorie, with a sticky note on it with the words Just like I promised. "It'll be better for both of us."

I leave the room, trying my hardest to ignore her crying. Like I said, it'll be better for both of us. Right? I'm not so sure anymore. But I'm not going back now. I push the door to the hospital open, walking out towards my car. It's really then that what I did kicks in.

I broke up with Mina.

Mina's POV

It takes a few days for me to get released from the hospital. I'm a bit bruised, but besides that, I'm pretty much alright. Physically that is. Emotionally? I'm a wreck.

But when I get to school, I force myself to 'man up' a little bit. In my fist I hold the ring that Brody had given me before the Guild blew up. I hear the whispers the moment I walk through the door.

"She's not wearing Brody's ring!"

"Do you think it's true?"

"I wonder how she's taking it?"

"Brody was right to break up with her."

I ignore it, weaving through the crowd towards Brody's locker. I don't pause to say hi to Nan, Nix, or Ever. I need to do this first. Sure enough, when I reach his locker, he's there. He must see me from the corner of his eye, because he turns to talk, and moves his hand as if to gesture as he speaks.

I take that moment to shove his ring into his hand. "Take your stupid ring." My voice is bitter, and I can see him flinch slightly, as if my words sting.

"Mina, I-" I don't bother giving him a chance to speak. I stalk off, tears beginning to well up in my eyes.

A large group had gathered around his locker, and as I weave through it to get away from him, whispering again begins to ensue.

"He's available!"

"You go, Grimes!"

"What do you think happened?"

"Man, she's mad!"

"Do you think this makes them officially broken up?"

"I would've sold the ring if I were her, not give it back."

I make it to my locker before I completely lose it. I open the door and then shut it again, letting the tears run down my cheeks. It's official then. We've broken up. There's no such thing as being on break anyways, is there? It has break in the statement, making it a fancy way of saying we're breaking up.

The rest of the day I ignore Brody. Nan, being the best friend she is, sides with me, ranting during first period - even though he sits two rows and a column over - about how inconsiderate he is and how he's a horrible person. Ever sides with me as well - after she knows the circumstances - and Nix completely ignores Brody. It's nice to know that I have friends who care. Teague is unreadable, although he's probably taking pleasure in the fact that just after a day of him being here he's caused trouble.

The main point that I really make this statement at is whenever I walk in to lunch with Ever, Nix, and Nan. Brody is sitting at our normal table. So, I sit somewhere else, and my friends follow. I try to say I'm imagining the hurt in his eyes. But what did he expect? Teague enters a few minutes later, and ends up sitting with us. Now there's anger on Brody's face as well.

At the end of the day, I walk outside to find that it's raining, and hard. I sigh. My mom doesn't exactly know that Brody and I broke up, and since he generally drove me home and to school - today was a one-time thing - 'll have to walk.

That's when a black car pulls up beside me, and the window rolls down. "Get in."

I frown, staring at the driver - Teague - like he's crazy. "Get in a vehicle? With you? After what you've done? I don't think so. You've basically ruined my life!"

"More like I saved it. He's a pathetic excuse for a human, Mina, and weak. I did you a favor."

I continue to glare at him, until I see Brody walking out of the school. He sees me, and is heading very determinedly in this direction. So, I only have two options. I can take my chances with Teague, or stay here and have to deal with anger from Brody.

I grab the handle of the door, pulling it open and stepping inside. Teague smirks, and as I shut the door behind me and buckle, begins to pull out of the lot. Once again, Brody is standing there staring in shock from where he is in the schoolyard.

"And where am I driving you to? Your house?"

I frown, not really paying attention. He repeats the question.

"Oh, uh, ya, my house." I nod absentmindedly.

He frowns for a moment. "Nah, I don't think I'm going to take you there." My eyes widen, and that brings me out of the trance as I whip my head over to stare at him. He flashes me a rather boyish grin. "You need to live your life a little, Mina. Have some fun. It's no good sitting here and moping like a partypooper." I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. "Are you ready to have some fun?"

I don't think I want to do anything involving Teague. But, knowing him, it'll be trouble for me if I don't.

Who's ready for some quality time with Teague? I know I am. After all, who doesn't want to spend time with the Dark One? Woops, wrong fandom. I mean, the Dark Prince.

~Dagger