Chapter 8 - Who is He?

I couldn't help myself. We're almost caught up to where I've written to so far, so I'll have to get to work on writing more!

"Oh, you mean my attitude of being better than you? Yes, I do believe that." Brody looks slightly smug because of his come back.

"Mina deserves something better than scum that just looks a bit better because it's on a silver platter!"

His temper is flaring, but so is mine. I'm glaring at him now, and wait for his reaction. What he does I don't expect though. He swings at me with his fist. I could stop it, but I let it collide with a grunt. He goes to swing again as I put a hand to my face, more to act than anything.

That's when Mina walks in, and squeaks. "Brody, what on earth are you doing?"

He drops his hand, failing to meet her gaze as he stutters for an answer. Nix watches as well, shocked. "I...well...you see..."

"I see that you need to leave." She says, quiet but firm.

"Mina, I can explain. I-"

"I said you need to leave." She stays firm and he leaves, still looking at her till he turns in the hallway.

Once he's gone, Mina rushes over. "Are you alright?" She's trying to keep her voice level, but I think I detect a bit of worry there. "Did he hurt you?"

"I'll be fine." I shrug, and with a bit of stray Fae magic fix any damage that the puny mortal may have done. I smirk slightly. "But you obviously do care what happens to me if you asked."

"No, it was just the...hospitable thing to do." So she's still denying it? I'll have to fix that.

Mina's POV

It's Monday. My least favorite day of the week. Mainly because that's when the school week starts up again. I'm walking towards the school, huffing mainly because I doubt I'll make it on time. But I don't want to tell my mom that I broke up with Brody, because then I'd have to tell her why, and it just would end badly.

It's as I'm walking down the street that a familiar black car pulls up beside me. The window rolls down, revealing a grinning Teague. "Need a ride?"

"Do you always stalk people? Or is it just me?" I grumble, turning to face the door and crossing my arms.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do with your mirror?" He states it like I'm stupid, and I shake my head. "Now get in."

"Fine, fine." I open the door, stepping inside and quickly shutting it behind me. "Just tell me you're not going to attempt and make a habit of this."

"If I did, I'd be lying."

I sigh, slumping down a little in the seat. Oh well. This was basically what Brody did for a while whenever the Little Red Riding Hood quest happened. I cam handle it. Of course, he'd also managed to win me over at that time...I push that detail away.

"We're here." He waves his arm, and I frown.

"That was way too fast to have been done safely." I say, raising an eyebrow. "Care to explain?"

"And reveal my deepest, darkest secrets? I think not." He smirks.

"How on earth is how you got us to school so fast one of your deepest, darkest secrets?" I smile a little, shaking my head, but quickly stop, forcing my mouth back to a frown.

"Just hop on out."

I do as instructed, stepping out of the car. I glance back one time, and then hurry inside. Once inside, I bump into Nan.

"Mina, are the rumors true?" She looks positively bubbly.

"Wha...what rumors?" I stumble, confused.

"The ones about you and the new school hottie, Teague?"

My eyes widen. "And what would these rumors be?"

"That you guys are a thing?"

"Oh, no no no no no!" I shake my head fiercely. "He's just a friend."

"Uh-huh." She doesn't believe me.

"Naaaaaaan!" I whine.

"Well, then I'll just have to use all my matchmaking skills to make you an item!" She claps her hands together, and I groan. This isn't going well.

"You don't even have matchmaker skills!"

"Well, now will be the time to prove I do! I'm totally going to-" She gets cut off by another voice.

"Uh, Mina? Can I talk to you for a moment?" I turn to see Brody, running a hand through his hair as he looks at me. He glances at Nan. "Alone?"

Nan glares at him, and looks at me for the answer. I sigh, something I seem to be doing a lot recently. "It's alright, Nan. I can handle him." He looks slightly offended by that.

She walks away, and Brody looks at me. "Look, I wanted to apologize for what I did on Saturday, because I was in the wrong there. And, I'd like to make it up to you."

In his hand, I see a crinkled flyer with the title "Fairytale Couples" printed on the top. The name for our dance. I begin to panic. "Uh...how are you hoping to do that?"

"Would you come to the dance with me?" His eyes are hopeful, but I know I can't do it. I refuse to open my heart up to love again after this disastrous, short-lived relationship with Brody and after Jared. So, I need an escape.

"Somebody already asked me, and I said yes." Not what I meant to say.

"Who asked?" He's trying to act calm. I can tell.

"It was," I mean to say Nix, but I somehow manage to bungle the job, "Teague." I just dug myself into a deeper hole. But, now I need to play along. "He asked me when he was tutoring me on Saturday. Before you came over."

"You said yes...to him?"

"Yes, I did." I gulp inwardly. Before he can ask any more questions, I quickly add, "I have to go, bye!"

I weave through the hallway towards Teague's locker, shaking my head. I am so stupid. I can't even say the right name in a lie! And now not only do I have to go, but I have to convince Teague to go to the dance with me.

"Hey, sweetheart." There he is, with a boyish smirk on his face as he leans against the wall.

"Don't call me that." I cross my arms.

"And why not?"

"Just don't do pet names! I'm not your girlfriend!" I shake my head.

"Fine, fine." He puts his hands up. "So why did you come over here?"

"A...well..." I can tell my face is flushing. "Um...would you, by any chance, be willing to...a...come to the dance with me?" He cocks an eyebrow, and his smirk is bigger. So, I quickly add, "Brody was trying to get me to go with him, so I needed a good way to say no, and I somehow ended up saying you asked me." I can tell by the look on his face that he finds this funny. "Teeeaaaggguue!"

"Fine, fine. I'll go." I let out a sigh of relief. "Although, Mina, you should realize something."

Worry wells up in me. "Wha-what should I realize?"

"This is almost like a date." Mischief twinkles in his eyes.

Ooh, Mina's going to have a great time. cx Anyways, remember the glimpse in the mirror from before? Keep that in mind, as we're coming to that soon...

~Dagger