Hunting the Fairy Tale

Chapter 121 - Picking Up Chicks

Hunter

Willow was happy enough when she got into the car, though she hadn't quite been herself all morning. She didn't even react with the same kind of confusion I did when Ma announced at breakfast that she was taking Aunt B out for a day of drunken debauchery and that we could take the bug mobile because they were going to use the pool car Dad gave Aunt Becca.

The story didn't sound very likely. Ma likes some wine now and then, but I don't think I've ever heard of her getting drunk or doing the 'bauchery' stuff she was talking about.

Missy just told them to enjoy it. She was smiling happily when we left the yard, and Ronja got into the back seat. She was clearly glad to see her, but the further we're driving away from home, the more tense and quiet she is becoming in the seat next to mine.

"So, Ronja," I ask, trying to get some conversations going because Willow is starting to freak me out. "I really liked your chess sound effects. They're almost as good as mine, but I must say, I've never tried the whole juice-spitting thing. Do they teach you that in Sweden? I usually just let the pieces chase each other a little bit."

Ronja grins at me in the rearview mirror, completely unbothered by the fact that I'm trying to tease her.

"I like my chess games to be more hands-on," she says, and when I laugh, she tilts her head, frowning. "Did I use wrong words again?"

"Nope, it sounded pretty accurate to me," I chuckle. "Well, you should play action chess with us sometime. The last time my cousin was here, we invented a version where we got Kyle and Jake to play against each other, and the rest of us were their pieces. When one of them ordered one of his pieces to take the other guy's piece, the two pieces had to wrestle it out."

I grin, remembering the fun times I had with Ethan, and then I remember how wrong things went during that game.

"It became a bit confusing when the wrong piece won the wrestling match... In the end, the game turned into a free-for-all brawl," I laugh. "Dex told us to go shower with savages... or said he wanted to shower some savages... Who the hell ever knows what Dex is talking about? Dunno; there were showers and savages in it. Jake was rolling his eyes so hard that I had to tackle him to stop him from being all arrogant and annoying. I'm not sure who won our wrestling match."

"I would love to play your version," Ronja giggles. "I would definitely enjoy wrestling Jake."

I think Willow is crying now; her shoulders are shaking, and she has her face in her hands, but then I hear the sounds she's making and am relieved to know that she will probably be okay.

"So, did you enjoy walking home with Jake?" I ask Ronja, keeping an eye on Willow, just in case she melts. Her ears are dangerously red. "Was there any wrestling involved?"

"Hunter," Missy gasps, smacking my leg with the back of her hand. I grin at her when she looks at me, enjoying her shy smile and the blush colouring her cheeks.

"I very much enjoyed being walked by Jake, thank you," Ronja unashamedly admits, and there is nothing shy about her smile. "I spent lots of happy minutes kissing him under the trees. I will do a lot more of that as soon as possible."

"That is really good news; you might turn him into a human being yet, Ronny," I grin, enjoying the fun things this girl says and her unsuppressed honesty. "Tell me he at least played with your ribbons."

"Yes," Ronja admits, frowning at me. "He pulled them loose. Is it Briar Cove custom?"

"It is now," I laugh, happy to hear that Jake's ribbon-messing-up urges have been dealt with safely, far, far away from Willow. "What?" I ask, arching my eyebrows when I realise that Willow is looking at me speculatively, trying to figure out what the ribbon thing is all about.