Faire Exchange: Chapter 5

Martin makes a decision.

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First Rina made a flower grow on Martin's nose and terrorized the girls' gym class. But then she helped that third-grader who scraped her knees. But then she roped that third-grader into a prank against some of the girls. She had gone quiet since coming back from recess, but that felt less like a storm blowing away and more like a mere lull.

Martin just didn't know what to make of her. Who was the real Rina?

Part of him did feel a little responsible. He knew she'd be offended when he reached for her ear, but his curiosity just had to get the better of him, didn't it? Maybe she wouldn't have lashed out quite so much if he'd kept his hands to himself.

He wouldn't have this dead flower on his desk, that was for sure. And he still had no choice but to sit next to her in class.

The truth was, he felt awful about what he did. He'd always been picked on for how he looked. People would pat his belly and rub his head and pretend it was funny. Granny always told him to do unto others as he'd want done to himself, so he'd always tried to take the high road, and not let their words burrow too deep. Now, he'd done unto Rina exactly what he hated.

He figured if it would help in the slightest way, even just one iota, he would apologize.

After the end of fourth period, it was time to gather everything and go to Ms. Ivory's class for Science. Now there was a subject that should get more interesting with a magical elf involved.

Martin spoke up just as Rina and Jeremy began to walk away from their desks. "R—Lady Rina!"

She turned toward him with a wrinkle in her brow. "What do you want?"

"I…I…" It's okay Martin, he told himself as he got to his feet, there's a whole row of desks between you and her. "Listen, Lady Rina, I just… I wanted to say something."

Jeremy's eyes spread out in horror, but Martin waved to let him know it was okay.

"I'm sorry," Martin said. "For touching your ear. I know it's hard adjusting to a new place, and what I did was insensitive, and I should have known better, and if I gave you a bad impression of people in our school, then I'm sorry for that, too."

Jeremy's look turned from horror to total confusion. Martin knew how this looked. Apologize to Rina after everything she'd done? Martin might as well have offered up his nose to get another flower. But he just wouldn't feel right with himself if he kept quiet.

Rina's hand rested on her hip. Her face hadn't budged; it still had that wrinkle. "Do you still have that flower?"

Martin plucked it off his desk. "Right here." Kids from Ms. Ivory's class were filing in for Math, and hesitated when they saw Rina was still here. Jeremy kept glancing over at Zoe Walters.

"Give me the flower," Rina said.

"Sure." Martin passed it to her, hesitated before touching her hand. No, you're trying to make things right, Martin. He pressed the flower firmly into her palm.

Rina's hand glowed. Martin jerked his hand away.

A burst of flame shot from her palm.

A pile of ash lay in Rina's hand where the flower had just been.

"Here's what I think of your apology," Rina said.

She blew the ash right into Martin's face. He tried to wave the cloud away, rub it off his face, spit out what touched his lips.

"Next time," she said, "apologize for making me look at your ugly face, you fat pooka. And just be glad that flower was all I did. Understand? Never touch me again."

And she stalked off toward the door. Jeremy jumped out of the way, and whoever hadn't taken their seats made room for Lady Rina to walk by.

Jeremy hopped over his desk. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Martin said. Good old Jeremy was always there whenever anybody cracked a fat joke or an insult. But somehow, this time the insult didn't sting like it usually did.

Gregg swooped in. "I heard what she said. That was low."

"It's fine, really," Martin said. "Actually, I'm good."

"I can't believe you apologized to her," Jeremy said.

Martin shrugged. "Thought it was worth a shot." He'd tried, and it was up to her to accept. She didn't. He no longer had to expect any better out of her. If this was who Rina was, so be it.

"Okay, well, next time you decide something's worth a shot, make sure it's something that doesn't involve her. Now come on, we're gonna be late."

"Sure." He walked with Jeremy toward the door. "Later, Gregg." Nobody else seemed to realize what was so important about what he did. It even took Martin himself until now, as he crossed the hall, to fully realize it. What he'd done was more than just an apology.

He'd been the first one hurt by Rina. Now, in his own way, he was the first to stand up to her.