Where to? | An Unfortunate Fairytale Fan Fiction

Chapter 4

He laughed lightly. “It’s not weird for me.” He taunted with a mischievous wink, “And I’m doing your hair by hand because I happen to like how soft it is, and it smells like strawberries.” He grinned down at her triumphantly when he saw that she’d turned red.

“You- you- ugh. Whatever.” She griped embarrassedly, deciding to turn her attention to her feet instead. The red sandals were rather cute…

“Ah, there. Done.”  Teague said a moment later, leaning back to study her. “You look fabulous.” He told her in a very impressive Tim Gunn impersonation. Mina couldn’t help but giggle.

She glanced in the hall mirror and raised her eyebrows. He’d pulled her hair loose and let it flow in waves down her back, but he’d tied her bangs back into her hair in intricate braids and loopies. She looked good.

“So I guess I can add hairstylist to your long list of unorthodox gifts, then?” She commented wryly, surprised that she actually liked what he’d done. And that he somehow knew how to dress girls’ hair? That totally isn’t bizarre or anything. Mina thought with amused inner-sarcasm.

“Yes, you can.” Teague said cheekily, “I am a man of many talents, after all, buttercup.”

“Yeah. And your humility is astounding.” Mina retorted, not able to hold back her smile. Dang it, she thought. She was having fun bantering with him! She was supposed to loathe him! Stop making me like you. She inwardly grouched. They couldn’t be friends. It would be wrong on so many levels. And Jared would be furious. She didn’t know how, but somehow she knew that if he found out that Teague had been hanging around her, he’d blow his top. They must really hate each other…

Yep. Jared would have a coronary and give Mina one of his angry, holier-than-thou lectures on her naivety and stupidity. “I can’t believe you would do something so dumb, Mina. He’s evil! You’ll never break the curse if you’re this gullible all the time!”

The realization made her simmer in irritation. She hated how he would talk down to her just because he seemed to be all-knowing and thought he was better than her.

The jerk.

 If he could spend all his time with that psycho-witch pixie, Ever, Mina could go to a freaking party with his brother! Come to think of it, Teague was better company than the both of them! And Jared had no right telling her what she could and could not do all the time like he was-

“Whoa, Mina, slow your roll. I like a nice breeze as much as the next guy, but I don’t want a Wizard of Oz reenactment. Okay?” She heard Teague chuckle somewhat sardonically.

“Wh- what?” She asked, feeling slightly befuddled. Then she noticed what he meant.

The foyer looked like a gale of wind had barreled through, ripping jackets and pictures off the wall and tossing them messily all over the floor. Teague’s dark hair was windswept and all over the place. The mirror on the wall hung crookedly. Looking at her reflection, she shook her head slightly at the irony- she was the only thing that looked untouched in the cabin’s front hall.

“Crap.” She managed, surveying the damage. “I did this?”

Teague cocked his head to the side and gave her a ‘Well, duh’ look as he raked a hand through his mussed hair and straightened his shirt.

Mina winced, bending over to pick things up. “Teague?” She asked, feeling somewhat out of breath.

“Yeah?”

“Why am I suddenly doing all this? I mean, I don’t remember having this little wind issue back at my house. Or at school, for that matter.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, watching her picking up jackets and small paintings. “Hm. My best theory is that being around someone with so much Fae power kind of kick started it- like cables to a car battery. Jared hasn’t been around much lately, correct? I think your powers needed a little push. That, and added stress on your mind, I’d guess.”

Mina blinked in surprise. That was one of the most serious, non-flirtatious statements he’d made all day.

He seemed to realize this, because he opened his mouth again right after. “Oh, and did I mention how lovely the view is from up here? Watching you bend over is a sight that won’t ever get old. Next time I’ll put you in a skirt.”

“Ugh. Perv.” Mina grumbled and rolled her eyes as she stood up and placed the last picture back up on the wall. “Let’s just get in there already.”

Teague smiled. “That’s the best idea you’ve had all day, love. To the snack table!” He replied in triumph, grabbing her arm and raising it high, like it was a sword and he was leading them into battle. Who knew? Maybe he was.

He pulled her into the first room on the left, where the loudest sounds were coming from. There were dozens of kids from school Mina recognized, dancing and horsing around. There were bright streamers hanging from the ceiling that a lot of guys from the water polo team were messing with- mainly smacking each other with them. People had red plastic cups filled with different sodas- Mina knew Robert, Nan’s stepfather, would never allow alcoholic beverages at the party- and paper plates stacked high with finger food and pizza. Yum.

She searched around for Nan, as Teague pulled her between the bouncing teenagers. Even though the sun hadn’t gone down just yet, it was still kind of dark inside, with the exception of the blue and green lights that flashed from someplace that Mina couldn’t see to give the room a party vibe. The lake house was huge. Mina wasn’t sure how long it would take to find Nan out of all these people.  The song was no longer on ‘Grow a Pear’ by Ke$ha, but ‘So What’ by P!nk, instead. At least this was a song that Mina liked...

Teague had just grabbed a plate when she thought of something. “Hey, I think Nan could be in the kitchen. I’m gonna go look for her there.” She told him, turning around. He had zeroed in on the little corndog tray.

“Huh? Oh, sure. Okay...” He replied distractedly. Mina smiled and laughed to herself.

He was really into those things, judging by the way he heaped half the tray onto his plate.

Hopefully, he’d save her a few.

She whirled around and pushed her way through the crowded room to the kitchen. Or, at least, what she was pretty was the kitchen. She pushed open the swinging white doors and stepped in.

 It was the kitchen all right. And it wasn’t empty neither. Nan was there, just like Mina thought she might be. And who else would be there but Brody Carmichael? Whom Nan was thoroughly kissing against the big, granite island in the middle of the room.

Um, ew.

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Yeah, I don't know if I want "Meague" to happen or anything, lol, but I know I don't ship Brody and NAN! Blech. ;p

Hoped you liked it,

Your Favorite Ninja