Faire Exchange: Chapter 20

Nadia offers comfort in a time of need.

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Gregg's voice roared through the playground, turning everyone's heads. Nadia heard every word. Then bolts shot from Rina's hand and popped clods of dirt from the ground as Gregg raced away. Nadia didn't breathe until he was out of sight. She hoped he stayed there.

Frankly, she wished she could do the same thing. Nadia could hardly find anybody who wanted to play with her anymore. Everyone she approached gave her a sneer or looked away or pretended not to notice her. And why not? Everyone had seen how friendly Rina was with her. They probably thought Nadia was helping her out somehow.

Obviously Gregg knew the same thing would happen to him. Why else would he say what he said? It was still only Nadia who knew the Rina nobody else knew. If Rina could just show it to someone else, there could be some hope for her.

But then, if Rina was willing to treat Gregg the way she did, maybe there was less hope than Nadia imagined. Being a prankster and bully was one thing. Using her powers to control another human being was beyond anything Nadia thought she'd ever encounter.

Then Rina began to cry.

Again, everybody saw it, everybody heard it. Rina was now squatting down, partly buried in her cloak, hands over her eyes, wailing. The third-graders around her were trying to comfort her, but there was only so much they could do besides pat her on the back. Rina needed someone she could actually talk to, and it wasn't going to be any of the other fifth graders. Rina's tears were only making them smile. And the teachers weren't going to be any help. They were terrified of her, and had no idea how they were supposed to handle her.

Nadia had no choice.

She took one last look at the other fifth graders—at Martin and Jeremy, running off to look for Gregg—at Diane and Lian, who were whispering to each other, probably about Nadia—and at Zoe, who had already written her off as a human being. Nadia took a step forward and paced slowly and creakily toward Rina.

When she got close, the third graders gathered to form a wall in front of Rina. "Go away!" one of them said. "You're not gonna hurt Lady Rina!"

"Yeah!" the rest said in unison. All except one, the girl Rina had recruited her first day, who seemed to just mutter it.

"I'm not—" Nadia stuttered a moment. "L-look, kids, us big girls need to talk."

"Nuh uh!" Another third grader spread his arms out.

"Look, I'm here to help, and I—"

"Nadia?" Rina stood up. "Nadia, is that you? Nadia?"

"I'm here, Rina. You wanna talk?"

"Yes! Absolutely! There's no one I'd rather see right now. Kids, clear out. Nadia's my friend."

"Is that true?" one third-grader said.

"It's true." The first one—Haley, was it? Or Allie? stepped out in front. "They sit together at lunch."

Nadia looked at them, then at the fifth graders further out, who were watching her, waiting to pass judgment. All Nadia had to do was say no, maybe add some things Gregg forgot to say, and maybe she could go back to having more than one or two friends. "That's right," she said. "I'm Rina's friend." She let out a slow, soft sigh. Now that she said it, it already felt more true.

"Here." Rina touched Nadia's arm. "Let's step aside for a moment. They don't need to hear."

Rina wiped her tears as she led Nadia to an empty spot between the swings and the slides. They sat down together on the grass. "I'm so glad you came," Rina said. "Those things he said…"

"Why do you think he said them?"

"Those friends of his—the shaggy-headed one and the fat pooka. They must have put him up to it. I know how he really really feels about me. Smells don't lie."

"Well…" Nadia said. "Do you like him? I mean, like like him?"

"What? No. I just thought I'd have a little fun with him."

She made poor Gregg sound like a toy. This girl could be so infuriating. " Is that what you call that thing with the candy?"

Rina crooked her brow and flicked her ears. "What do you call it?"

"I don't know. But I don't call it good. And I don't understand why you did it."

"I just… It was just a prank. Just teasing him. It wasn't as if I really hurt him."

"That's just it," Nadia said. "I know Gregg, and I think you really did hurt him."

"I… I thought if he loves me that much…"

"Well, I mean, you like me, right? You wouldn't want me bossing you around, would you? That's not how love works in Faerie, is it?" Silently, Nadia prayed, Please say no, Please say no.

"Of course not," Rina said. "When my mother courted my father, it was with magnificent gifts, a trip around the world, the promise of beautiful offspring. But Gregg… I can't do that. I'm a noble of the Fae. He's just a human."

Just a human? "What does that make me?"

"Well, you're… I mean… You're my friend."

Nadia crawled over to Rina's side. "Look, I know Gregg, and I think all he really wanted was for you to like him back."

"I know! But I don't! I don't have to, do I?"

"No, I'm not saying you should, but… if you don't, then what is it that's making you cry like this?"

"Well, it's just… it's just…"

"Yeah?"

Rina began to cry again. "I'm so lonely."

"Rina…" Nadia placed her arm around Rina's shoulder.

"I just wanted him to admit it, not hide it, so he could be my friend, like you. I knew he never would on his own, so I used the spell to make him do it. But you heard him at lunch. He's afraid of me! His friends are afraid of me. Everybody's afraid of me. That's why he said those horrible things!"

"You just wanted him to be friends?"

"Of course! I swear I was just playing! I didn't mean him any harm! But even he hates me now. I hate it here. I don't want to be here. I never wanted to be here. You—you're all I have."

Was there really no one else? "But what about the other elv—the other Wyrdnin?"

"They all hate me too. They always have. They know I'm only here because my father sponsored the exchange. I just wish they'd kick me out and send me home already. Then I wouldn't have to worry about anybody. Except…"

"Except?"

"Except my father would never allow it. And now the teachers are too afraid of me to try it. I'm stuck here. Besides, if I got expelled, then I'd miss you. Nadia, you're the closest friend I've ever had, in any world."

Nadia felt the weight of Rina's words crush her heart. "I had no idea." Not to mention, she couldn't believe she'd guessed why Rina was acting up.

"I suppose you could come visit. But I like hanging around like this. You make Earth bearable."

"Rina… Have you thought about what I said yesterday?"

"About being nicer to people?"

"Right. Not casting magic everywhere, not playing pranks. If you do, you can stay here, and I can still be your friend. We can hang out as much as you want."

"No magic?"

"I didn't say… Um, just not the kind that scares everybody. You can hold off on using magic during class, right?"

"I suppose."

"See, that's a start. Then maybe you can apologize to everybody."

Rina gave her an odd look.

"Whenever you're ready," Nadia assured her. "The point is, you need to show everybody you can treat them… well, like you treat me. Can you do that?"

"Maybe." She stood and straightened her back. "Yes, I suppose I can. Nadia, starting right this minute is the beginning of a new Tsarina Algruent."

Nadia heard the bell ring to end recess. "I'm looking forward to it."

Especially if this new Rina Algruent could help her get her old friends back.