Unto the Shadow (Completed)

(Ch.14) Cracked Granite and Electricity

Ryder stood in front of the kitchen counter fuming, gripping the granite countertop as hard as she could, trying to relieve some of her fury in a way people wouldn't notice. She felt so stupid. How could she have been delusional enough to really think Tairin was just trying to take things slow with her. She raked through her brain and found a memory of hearing that Tairin and Michelle had dated last year. But that was before she had really noticed him, that was before she had feelings for him. She had been naive enough to think no other girls were interested in him. God, she felt so stupid.

         Someone touched her back in a way that suggested they were familiar. She wheeled around prepared to yell at Harris to leave her alone, fearing he had recovered and was back for more. Her glare found the only other person at the party that she wanted to see less than Harris. Tairin's smiling face greeted her scowl.

          "What?" She asked harshly, unable to stop herself.

         Tairin's smile instantly faded . "I just wanted to check on you. I saw you and Harris talking, and you didn't look too happy."

         Ryder just stared up at him for a moment. Then answered simply, "I'm fine."

          She hated herself for noticing that the green in his plaid shirt made the green flecks in his eyes stand out. She wished she wasn't cornered between the elbow of the counter and him, she just wanted to get away. But he seemed to make an even better wall than Harris had done in the hallway.

         His face morphed into concern, and he began looking around the kitchen, "seriously Ryder, what's wrong? What did Harris say to you?"

         Ryder couldn't help herself. "Why don't you just go back to Michelle. I can take care of myself."

         "What?" Tairin's confused eyes came back to her.

         She watched as he tried to make sense of what she had said, then understanding took shape and it seemed he might begin to blush. He stumbled over his words as they fought to come out, and before he could form a real sentence Michelle wandered up next to him. Ryder couldn't help but notice how close the blonde cretin stood to him.

         "Hi Ryder." Michelle said with a pink lipstick smile.

         Ryder knew then, that Michelle was doing everything on purpose.

          "Tairin, Chris was wondering where you went. He wants you to come back to the living room, so you can finish your story." Michelle cooed, as she laced her arm in his.  

         Wow, she couldn't have more calculated timing, Ryder thought. Imagining Michelle lurking in the pantry waiting for her moment to pounce. Ryder reached back to act as if she were casually leaning on the counter but was actually trying to crush the hard granite in her hands again. Desperate to express some of her building fury without throttling the miscreant blonde in front of her. Her mind was so rampant that she didn't feel the unnatural shift of the hard stone in her fingers' death grip. 

         Tairin now looked like the one cornered, he pulled his arm free of Michelle's. "Tell Chris I'll finish it later. I'm busy right now."

         The glee in Michelle's face vanished with Tairin's words, she must have thought her hooks in him were deeper. Ryder felt the tug of a smug smile grab her mouth as she watched Michelle's faltering attempt to control Tairin.

          "Um... Ok, I'll let him know." Michelle turned reluctantly, clearly not thinking this was how her intrusion would end.

         Tairin answered as an afterthought. "K, thanks." His focus back on Ryder.