Chapter 15 - If It's Torture

Ooh, a foreboding title. Unless I stretch it, which I quite possibly might, the next chapter will be the last one of Blank Space. However, I guarantee a sequel, so don't freak out on me. I just won't guarantee when.

Darn it, I was typing this and realized that at one point I put the same chapter in twice! D: I'm so sorry!

"Come on, then." He smirks, taking my hand. "Ready to go, princess?"

Princess? I give up with telling him to not have pet names, and he smirks wider. "Yes, I'm ready."

He leads me out to the car, opening my door so I can step in. As we drive to the dance, I realize he still hasn't let go of my hand, which he grabbed again after we got in the car. I look at it, then at him, but he just keeps his boyish smirk on.

"Are you going to let go of my hand?"

"Now why would I want to do that?"

"Because if you don't let go of my hand I can't go anywhere without you."

"Exactly."

"But Teague, you can't do that if I need to use the bathroom."

"Calm down, Mina. We'll get to that when it comes to that." I just shake my head.

We reach the dance, and to get out of the car he's forced to release my hand. But once we're out, he takes it again, grinning, and leads me into the dance.

Teague's POV

Mina immediately attempts to slink off onto the sidelines. This girl just doesn't like to be the center of attention, now does she? I keep a firm hold on her hand though, and she sighs.

"Hey," I keep my voice low, "you'll be fine."

"Teague, I can't dance!" She protests, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Is that the best excuse you have? I saw you when you danced in the Little Red Riding Hood Quest, and you were brilliant."

"Wait...you saw me?"

"Ah, well, saw, heard, same thing." She raises an eyebrow suspiciously, so I try to dodge a torrent of her questions. "So, may I have this dance?"

"Do we have to dance?"

"That's why it's called a dance, Mina."

She sighs in defeat, and I grin. I take her hand, leading her to the dance floor. It's obvious once we're on the floor that she can dance. She just doesn't want to admit it. I spin her, and as I do I catch a glimpse of a bitter Brody watching from the crowd. It's a shame for him, really. The influence of the dagger on me does sometimes rub off slightly on others, and that seems to be exactly what happened with Brody. I smirk.

"Teague?" I'm interrupted from my thoughts.

"Yes?" I look at Mina.

"Mind if I get something to drink?"

"Oh, yes. That's fine." I nod, and sit on a bench as she maneuvers through the crowd towards the refreshment table. As she does, a song hits the air, and memories flood my head.

'Nice to meet you, where you been?'

"Not everyone has the same first per-" Mina stopped short whenever she saw the schedule I was holding in my hand. It looked exactly like her's, minus the fact that it said my name at the top. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope. So why don't we just get going?"

'I can show you incredible things.'

She rushes out of the school, and it's almost like I can feel her angers. It's strangely attractive, but I pay no attention to that. She's spotted me - with the Grimorie in my hand - and stops over.

"Give it back!" She demands.

"Nope." I smirk.

'I can read you like a magazine.'

"This place is Fae proof! You can't get in here!" She moved backward on her bed. "How did you get in here?"

"You should really think about getting better locks," I hold up a bobby pin, and she groans, exasperated. This just delights me even more. "The house may be Fae proof, but it certainly isn't burglar proof."

She rolls her eyes. "Why are you even here in the first place?"

"To irritate you. After all, making you angry is such a fun and easy thing to do." I chuckle, and as that riles her up even more.

'Ain't it funny, rumors fly'

"Get in."

She frowns, staring at me like I'm crazy. "Get in a vehicle? With you? After what you've done? I don't think so. You 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."

'Grab your passport, and my hand.'

"This won't work! I need to be home. I have homework! My mother will kill me! And it's raining! We can't possibly do anything in the rain!" She opens her mouth to take a deep breath to continue, so I decide to cut her off.

"We're here." She pauses, and looks out the window.

"Define where here is." She responds, trying to figure out what it is.

'So is it gonna be forever?'

She doesn't respond for a moment, and after a few moments, I start again. "Mina, look at me." She glances over, and my eyes bore into her's. "Do you love me?"

"I-I-I-" She doesn't even get a chance to finish responding, because I lean forward and kiss her.

I can feel her tense slightly from surprise, but she doesn't shove me, and after a moment, I pull away. "I'll take that as a yes."

"I never officially said-" I can see a blush start creeping onto her face.

"Now it counts as a date." I cut her off, and her blush gets even bigger as my eyes sparkle and a grin forms on my face.

'You can tell me when it's over.'

"Just don't do pet names! I'm not your girlfriend!" She shakes her head.

"Fine, fine." I put my hands up. "So why did you come over here?"

"A...well..." Her face begins to turn red. "Um...would you, by any chance, be willing to...a...come to the dance with me?" I cock an eyebrow, and my grin gets even bigger. She quickly adds, "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 find this situation very funny. "Teeeaaaggguue!"

"Fine, fine. I'll go."

'Got a long list of ex-lovers.'

I park and open her door for her, and as we turn to the car, Savannah White approaches with her gaggle of girls.

"Hey, Teague." She smiles, and Mina tenses beside me. "What do you say we ditch Grimey here and you can come hang out with us?"

"Please don't insult my girlfriend in front of my face." I keep my voice calm and level.

"Your...girlfriend?" She snickers. "Oh, honey, you deserve so much better."

"If you're trying to suggest yourself, then get over it. You're nothing more than dirt." Mina spits, and it's slightly strange to see her insult Savannah right back.

'Cause we're young and we're reckless."

"We're skipping school today."

"What?!" She's outraged. "Teague, I can't skip school! My mother will kill me!"

"Well, that's just a chance you'll have to take."

"No kidding." She crosses her arms. "Let me out of this car right now!"

"I don't think so." I flash my signature grin at her.

"Teagggguuuueeee!"

"Still no."

'It'll leave you breathless.'

"See you tomorrow, sweetheart." My signature grin is back on my face.

"Oh, please not pet names." She pleads.

"Why not, dear?"

"Teague."

"Just tell me why not, love."

"Teague!"

"Fine, fine." I pout, and she opens the door, hopping out and hurrying off to the house with her backpack.

'You're the king, baby, I'm your queen.'

"Are you going to let go of my hand?"

"Now why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't let go of my hand I can't go anywhere without you."

"Exactly."

"But Teague, you can't do that if I need to use the bathroom."

"Calm down, Mina. We'll get to that when it comes to that." She just shakes her head.

'I can make all the tables turn.'

"I think you need to butt out of this."

"I think you need to drop your attitude."

"I don't have one!"

"Yes, you do!" I spit the words. "You think you're so much better than anyone else and the only one worth Mina!"

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

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

'Boys only want love if it's torture'

"Hey," I keep my voice low, "you'll be fine."

"Teague, I can't dance!" She protests, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Is that the best excuse you have? I saw you when you danced in the Little Red Riding Hood Quest, and you were brilliant."

"Wait...you saw me?"

"Ah, well, saw, heard, same thing." She raises an eyebrow suspiciously, so I try to dodge a torrent of her questions. "So, may I have this dance?"

I realize that Mina's been gone for quite awhile now, and as the song ends, I too make my way over to the refreshment table. But, she's nowhere to be found. I turn, looking for her, and that's when I hear it. Her scream.

I hope you guys liked reminiscing with Teague, and this long chapter! I also hope you guys won't kill me for next chapter...

~Dagger