Faire Exchange: Chapter 16

Jeremy would like to go back to normal.

Thank you for joining me for another chapter of Faire Exchange! I’ve also put out a new paperback of my short fantasy novel, Sweet Silius Island Honey, as well as this post about my thoughts on beta reading and workshopping. Any support—likes, subscriptions, purchases—is appreciated.

Oh, and before I forget, Merry Christmas!

Previously:

Jeremy told his mom about the incident with Zoe's hair while folding laundry in the living room, and Mom's response surprised him. "That's… awfully ordinary, don't you think?" she said. "For this Wyrdnin girl? Not that I wouldn't swear vengeance on anybody who did that to me, but still."

"Well, then Rina turned it into a bird," he said.

Mom paused mid-fold. "That's different." She set the shirt down and rested her arms on her knees. "There's no way it can keep going on like this. I've been getting emails from the other parents. They're talking about holding a community meeting over this girl. Who knows what that might lead to? Honestly, I want the bullying to stop as much as you do, but part of me feels like we'd just be ganging up on a little girl who's different. And then what's Faerie going to do?"

Thinking about it the next morning at the bus stop put a pit in Jeremy's stomach. He'd met Papu, and knew Faerie wasn't all bad, and that kids were getting along great at other schools. But for Northpoint, all they knew about was Rina. Eventually there was going to be a spark, and Jeremy hoped it didn't start too big a fire.

Jeremy hopped onto the morning bus, and there she was, toward the back, and all thought of oncoming disaster blasted away. Zoe's hair had been trimmed and feathered into a radiant new pixie cut that, at least to Jeremy, made her look so more stylish, more mature. Was it bad that he thought she was prettier without the ponytail? He wasn't sure.

She had one heck of a scowl, though, and her fingers were clawing into her little brother's shoulder. Imagine the fight they must have had at home.

After he sat down, Jeremy snuck another glance at Zoe and her newly-cropped hair and wondered if Rina even realized what she was doing. The bus seemed a little emptier than usual, with some empty seats, and even whole empty rows. Kids were staying home, or were being kept home, to avoid Rina.

Zoe looked his way. As his pulse did a pole vault, he crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. It was almost reflex at this point. All so she wouldn't catch on that he was admiring her. She turned her grimace toward the window in response.

The bus stopped, and the doors opened, and Jeremy waited for Zoe to pass by before getting up. Her new hairdo looked even better from behind.

If there were just some way he could help her feel better.

He found Gregg at the entrance to the cafeteria, looking in through the door. Usually he'd either be in there hanging out with Nadia or already on his way to Ms. Ivory's classroom. Jeremy tapped him on the shoulder.

Gregg jumped as if Jeremy had popped a balloon. "Oh, Jeremy, it's you."

"Something going on?" Jeremy said.

"It's Nadia. There's something I need to talk to her about, and… well, look."

Jeremy leaned over and spotted her at their usual table. Across from her, playing with the iPhone, was Rina. "I see what you mean. Weird how those two are able to get along together like that. Well, come on, it's not worth the risk. You can ask later."

"It's really important, though."

There was less noise in the hall echoing in the hall this morning, and there were more empty seats in the other classrooms. All because of that one girl in the lunchroom with the iPhone. "You think Rina's gonna try sitting with us again?" Jeremy said.

"I wonder if she will." Gregg's eyes took on an odd shine. "What do we do if she does?"

"We've still got our 'pretend-she's-not-there' plan, don't we? Might as well stick with it. Maybe you'll have time to ask Nadia your thing before Rina shows up."

"I guess so," Gregg said. "I hope so."

They arrived at their classrooms and split up. Jeremy put his jacket and backpack in his locker, then took his seat next to Martin, with the empty seat behind him waiting for Rina.

Rainclouds seemed to be building up outside. Jeremy was in the mood for the soothing sound of falling water right about now. It would have been even nicer to go one hour without having to think about Rina. In just a few days he'd forgotten what being an ordinary fifth-grader felt like. Fifth grade had to go and stop being ordinary.

Jeremy turned to Martin. "Hey, you wanna hang out after school?"

"Sure, what do you wanna do?"

"I dunno, play video games, watch a movie or something? Something ordinary?"

"Yeah, sure. Let's check with Gregg later, see if we can go to his place."

"Good idea," Jeremy said. "I'll ask at lunch."

"Ask what at lunch?" a voice said behind Jeremy.

Martin's face locked up with terror.

Jeremy creaked around, first his head alone, then his shoulders. Rina was sitting in her desk as if she'd been there all along, and was listening intently to the two boys.

"Uh… n-n-nothing really," Jeremy said. "J-just thinking of what to do after school."

"Oh. And what, pray tell, do the boys of this world do when they're not at school?"

"W-well… Certainly nothing you'd be interested in, Lady Rina."

"If you say so. Is it something Gregg would be doing?"

"Gregg? Y-yeah, I guess."

"I mean, he's our friend," Martin said. "We do tons of stuff together."

"You're also Nadia's friends, aren't you?" Rina said.

"Well…" Jeremy had never thought about it before. Nadia had always been there with Gregg. He'd never read any deeper. "She's more Gregg's friend. They go way back, even further than we do."

"I see, I see," Rina said. "And what sorts of things does Gregg like?"

Jeremy and Martin both rattled.

"W-why do you ask?" Martin said, adding, "L-Lady Rina?"

"If you must know, you pooka, it's because he's friends with Nadia. I'm friends with Nadia, and I think I'd like her friends to be my friends. So what is Gregg Herron like?"

Rain started to patter on the window. Jeremy and Martin were both lost for a real answer. The 'pretend-she's-not-there' plan had crashed and burned. Jeremy might never get another moment of peace, to say nothing of poor Gregg. Why her sudden interest in him? She couldn't really want to be his friend that badly. What if he was her next target? Jeremy couldn't tell which was worse!

He finally sputtered, "C-certainly nothing you'd be interested in, Lady Rina."

Rina frowned with pinched lips. "Fine. If you don't want to tell me, I'll just have to ask him myself."

Jeremy's heart sank like the Titanic. Class hadn't even started yet, and he'd gone and made everything worse, especially for Gregg. "If you even think of—"

The bell rang.