Faire Exchange: Chapter 25

Nadia betrays a friend.

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There was yelling and hollering from Mrs. Horn's class as Nadia came down the hall.  Her walk became a skulk. All her hope was for nothing. Rina couldn't go one measly day without trying to start something. She was no better than Nadia's five-year-old cousin, who'd forget what you asked her a moment after you asked it.

Nadia gave herself a light slap on the cheek. No! Rina needed somebody to believe in her. Maybe something else was going on. She'd been so anguished yesterday, so devastated. She wouldn't just break a promise for no reason.

Even so, Nadia couldn't stomach going over and taking a look, not this early in the morning. What if her first impression was right?

Diane, Lian, and another girl were chatting in the corner of Ms. Horn's room, making a point to turn away when Nadia looked at them. Zoe Walters was glowering at her, and so was nearly everyone else. Nadia might as well have been named Benedict Arnold.

Nadia sat in front of Gregg as she usually did. At least the official traitor of fifth grade could still count on him. "Morning," she said.

"Morning," Gregg said. "How's it going?"

"Oh, you know. Just wondering if I might as well forget about anyone ever liking me again."

"I still like you."

"Yeah… But what about Lian? Or Diane? Am I ever gonna be picked for any teams again? Am I ever gonna be invited to anything? You know how Annika always has a big sleepover for her birthday?"

"No."

"Well, she does, and it was just so much fun last year. There's no way I'll get to go this time."

"It'll be all right. They'll figure out you're okay."

"No they won't. They'll see me and think about Rina and all the trouble she causes, even if she stops acting up like I told her." As Nadia spoke, a roaring cheer echoed from across the hall, enough for everybody to turn their heads. "What the heck's going on over there?"

"Oh, that's probably Jeremy."

"Why? What's he doing?"

"Well, we kinda got our hands on something that can stop Rina's magic, and Jeremy kinda wants to use it before he gives it to Mrs. Horn."

"Stop her…? No way, how?"

"Some other Wyrdnin girl took a wrong turn at Albuquerque, and gave it to us."

"No way…" Nadia started to rise up from her desk. "I wonder if that—"

No sooner had Nadia begun to move than Rina appeared in the doorway. The other girls shot back toward the other end of the room. Rina looked oddly different. Her hair seemed less slick, her skin had less luster. It was like the photos Nadia had seen of models with and without their makeup—one photo as smooth as a porcelain doll, the other with all the creases and pores you were never meant to see.

"Nadia!" Rina stormed in. "I'm so glad you're here! You've got to help!"

"Wh-wh—" Nadia noticed a new bracelet on Rina's wrist—a drab iron one that seemed out of place next to the fancy jewelry she normally wore.

"Look what they did!" Rina held out the arm with the new bracelet on it. "I can't do anything anymore! I was trying, really I was trying! I didn't do anything, I swear!"

Nadia felt like she shouldn't, but she believed Rina. Knowing what Gregg had told her meant Rina certainly could be telling the truth. "Well… what should I do?"

"Go back there, talk to them. The one with the shaggy hair, and the fat one. They're your friends, right? Just go back there. Tell them what we talked about. I don't care if the teacher has this, really I don't. Just convince them to take it off. They're the only ones who can. You're my friend, right?"

Nadia looked around the classroom. Everyone was staring at her, from Zoe to Lian to the boys who talked about nothing but football, waiting for her to respond, to confirm that she cared more about this bully than she did the rest of them, the kids she'd known for years.

And meanwhile, there was Rina, who'd spent the whole week so far ruling fifth grade by fear and magic. What would she do if Nadia said no?

What could she do? She was powerless, wasn't she?

Nadia had nothing to be frightened of now.

"You know I was only your friend because I was afraid of you, don't you?"

Rina stepped back. "Nadia?"

"That's the only reason I ever let you near me or showed you my phone. Cuz I thought you might cast a spell on me if I didn't."

"You don't mean that."

"What, you actually think it's 'cause I like you? Listen here, if this is what it takes to make you stop casting spells on everybody, then fine. It's your own stupid fault this happened. Keep that stupid thing on."

Rina already had tears streaming down her face, but now her eyes became an overflowing well. Without saying anything else, Rina ran out the door.

All of Ms. Ivory's class clapped.

Nadia had been holding the words in all week, and nearly everybody else had been waiting to hear them as well. She sat down and breathed out, unable to believe she'd finally had a chance to say it.

Lian approached her desk. "I always figured she must have something on you."

"Hey, Lian," Nadia said. "I don't suppose this means I can come over this weekend?"

"Just say when," Lian said. The bell rang, and she started toward the door to return to Mrs. Horn's class. "See you at lunch, Nadia!"

Nadia could hardly believe it. All anyone had to do was put a bracelet on Rina's wrist, and Nadia could get her old friends back.

All she had to do was show everyone it wasn't what they thought.

They just had to think Nadia and Rina were never friends. That Nadia never thought Rina could do better, that Rina never had anything more to her than the magical bully everyone knew.

That Rina could ever learn to enjoy living on Earth.

That Rina never could be a real, true friend.

Oh no, Nadia thought, what have I done?