Stories of Our Life [Volume 1]

3: "Are you SURE I Can't Punch Him in the Face?"

Tina came home from work in a really bad mood. When she entered the apartment, she just groaned when she was greeted by both Queenie and Newt. She hadn't bothered to pick up her coat when it fell to the floor when she missed the hook she was supposed to place it on. She even ignored Newt when he tried to talk to her and just walked towards hers and her sister's room, slamming the door behind her.

This left Newt worried as he watched the door to her room slam heavily. He turned to Queenie. Maybe she heard some of her thoughts and maybe can explain what in Merlin's incredibly long beard is going on.

Newt knew she must've heard his thoughts when she spoke up, "I can't tell you anything, Newt. I swore that I won't tell anyone."

Newt nodded and he continued reading today's paper.

Dinner went on a usual.

The three of them would exchange stories of how their day went (Tina had evidently left out the part that made her really angry) and discuss some plans for either tomorrow or for the upcoming weekend. Tonight, they discussed that they will go and visit Jacob and have a picnic at Central Park, then go down into Newt's case to help with taking care of the creatures. Queenie seemed to be really excited about while Tina, even though she tried to show she was, wasn't. This worried Newt even more.

As everybody finished eating, Newt gathered up his courage to ask her what was wrong and prayed to Merlin that she wouldn't kill him when he did. He cleared his throat to catch both sisters' attention. When they both looked at him, he felt his stomach drop. Here it goes.

"Tina...I know it's none of my business, but...may I ask what happened in your day that made you really angry tonight?" His eyes darted around the table as he asked.

The room fell silent. Queenie sighed and nudged her sister. "You gotta tell us, y'know," she whispered.

Tina rolled her eyes. "Why should I? You probably knew all along anyway," she said.

Queenie pouted. "But he doesn't," Queenie replied, nodding her head towards Newt.

Tina sighed. Newt looked up. Queenie nodded. "Go on, honey." Tina sighed again and nodded. Newt pulled his chair closer to the table as Tina breathed in and out to calm her nerves before saying, "Fine." Queenie smiled encouragingly and placed a hand on her shoulder. Then, Tina dove into a really annoyed explanation.

"There's this guy at work," she began, not meeting Newt's eyes. Newt felt something in his chest at the mention of a 'guy'.

Tina continued, "you probably know him Queenie. His name's Jake Templeton. Every single day, he will go to my desk and try to ask me out! I can't count how many times I've turned him down, and all the excuses I had to think of just get out of the situation." Newt felt his fist roll into a fist. Anger radiated around his being but he hid it successfully by pulling off a really good poker face.

Tina continued her explanation, getting angrier by every word. "Oh, but that's just a few weeks ago. About two weeks ago, he started following me around during break. And whenever he would catch me doing nothing, he would 'try' to ask me out again, and he started using his so-called 'charms' on me when he did so. So, I turned him down for—I don' know, the two hundredth time? — and left him there.

"Then, last week, he tried to pin me to a wall!" Newt gritted his teeth at that. How dare that man treat a woman like that? "He even tried to kiss me!"

Newt was really shaking with anger right now as Tina continued talking. Queenie shot him a worried look.

"I hexed him multiple times before asking him if he couldn't take a hint that I'm not available. Oh, but that didn't stop the 'Oh-So-Amazing Jake Templeton', every girl's dream boy, to get his hands on me. Just two days ago, he started stalking me! He follows me anywhere! Even when I'm with Newt, who I'm obviously dating. And just earlier today, when Newt didn't come to have lunch with me because he's busy..." Tina finally met his eyes and smiled at him.

Newt was about to apologize for not coming to meet her at MACUSA for lunch because one of the graphorns was sick when she arrived but she was angry so he couldn't. Newt gave her a small smile and nodded for her to continue.

Tina nodded. "So, while I was about to leave MACUSA to have lunch at Central Park, he came up to me and said, "So, I see your little boyfriend didn't arrive to see you for lunch. How inconsiderate of him. You must be lonely. Why not join me, instead? I promise you, you'll have a wonderful time." I tried to turn him down, but before I could, he dragged me out of the building and into an alley. And," Tina scoffed, "he tried to do what he did to me last week. But before he could even go further from just pinning me to the wall, I stupefied him and kicked him several times before leaving him there."

Queenie and Newt were silent as Tina breathed to regain her composure and to calm down. Queenie was obviously angry, but Newt? He was the definition of angry: his face was red and his fists were clenched so hard that his knuckles were white. Tina placed a hand on both Queenie's and Newt's shoulders to calm them down. When they did, Tina flashed them both a smile.

"It's fine..." she said.

Queenie sighed. "What did the president think of all that?" she asked.

That question made Tina really smile. "She wasn't that angry at me. Though she did let me off with a warning. But with Templeton? You should've seen the way Madame Picquery told him off! She was really angry and threatened to fire him herself if that happened. I almost laughed. When she both dismissed us, he grabbed my arm and told me that I was just lucky and that he'll get his hands on me soon. He didn't give a peep ever since but that still left me angry for the rest of the day."

Queenie laughed, but then turned serious in a split second before Newt could even register her laugh. "I'm gonna hex him for doing all those things to you!" Then, she turned to Newt. "And Newt's gonna help me!"

Newt blushed at that. Well, to be honest, when Tina was telling them the reason why she's got a bad mood, he was already making a list of creatures to unleash upon that horrid Jake Templeton, starting with Dougal, the niffler and Pickett. He was also planning on punching him himself.

Tina looked at Newt with a smile. "Really?" She must've realized that her sister was sifting through his thought while she was talking. "What will he do?"

Queenie looked at Newt with a smile and nodded. Newt cleared his throat and replied, "I...uhm...I was planning on unleashing a few of my creatures on him...and maybe punch him in the face or two..." Tina laughed at that.

"Newt, you don't need to punch him on the nose for me," she told him as Queenie rose from the table to do the dishes. Newt looked at Tina like she was crazy.

"But Tina...all the things he did to you..." he trailed off when Tina just shook her head with a smile that revealed her hidden dimple. She stood up, rounded to the table to Newt, and kissed him on the cheek and whispered a "thank you", and went to help her sister.

A few minutes later found the couple in Newt's case, feeding the mooncalves. While Tina was tossing he pebbles into the air for the moonclaves, she felt Newt's arms around her waist and his head in her shoulder.

"Are you sure I can't punch him on the face?" He asked in her ear.

Tina chuckled and continued tossing the pebbles into the air. "Yes."

Newt sighed. "What if I just break his nose a little?"

Tina sighed and turned to face her protective boyfriend. "Newt..."

Newt laughed. He raised his hands in defeat and just kissed her on the lips.

The following day, however, Newt came to MACUSA early and punched Jake Templeton in the face and told him to stay away from Tina or else. Tina and the rest of the aurors laughed at this. Queenie and Madame Picquery were amused. And Templeton was scared out of his own soul. He did get into trouble...just a smidge.

[Edited and Re-uploaded: July 20, 2020]