|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 2, 2015 2:37:39 GMT -5
Bullshit. It was all bullshit. Why did she still have to go to these classes with these horrible people? Why did she have to behave herself? Why did she have to sit there taking notes and doing exactly as they asked? Bullshit!
It didn't help that Transfiguration and Potions were back-to-back, so she had to deal with the two Professors Antonucchi right in a row: first the one who'd stood back and watched her tortured, then the one who had actually done it.
It was bullshit. It was horrible. It was like reopening the wounds all over again.
Oh, and then she'd finally gotten out of those classes, and then turned a corner and nearly crashed right into James Novak. All in all, it was not a good first day back to classes.
Well, at least it had ended. It was her free period, and she needed to be away from all the stares. Everyone was gawking at her. Bullshit, all of it!
Maureen made her way quickly outdoors, past the lake, all the way to the woods at the edge of the school's property. She hurled her bag onto the ground, sat down with her back against a tree, and pulled out her wand. With a frown on her face, she slowly rolled up the sleeve of her shirt to reveal the word: ANTONUCCHI.
Pointing her wand at her arm, Maureen muttered an incantation, and a cloud of pink mist shot at the scars, obscuring them only slightly. She shook her head, sighed in frustration, and tried a different spell. The word was still blatantly obvious on her arm.
Bullshit. It was all bullshit.
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 2, 2015 3:46:48 GMT -5
"No, no, no, no.... Yes. I understand... okay. I'll deal with it." Jackson walked out of the head groundskeepers office, and immediately flipped the room off as he walked away,, only to have a rock fly from the ground and hit him in the back. "Oi! That's cheating you as!" Jackson shouted, then coughed before walking away. Pulling the faded blue jacket around his frame he headed towards the lake, and the woods. Apparently someone was down in the woods, and they were using magic unsupervised. So who do they send, the one man in the school who couldn't use magic. "Oh yeah, send the squib. That aught to be a blast." Once again, Jackson flipped off the office, and ducked a rock that sailed through the air.
Before long Jackson was walking the out skirts of the forest, his eyes watching the trees, and the bushes. He could still remember the last time he was out here. Jackson shivered as those thoughts crept into his mind, and he absently brushed at his arms, sweeping away invisible spider webs. "Why the hell would anyone want to be here..." He mumbled, watching the shadows of the woods suspiciously.
Jackson however was not expecting to find HER of all people here. Though it did make sense, this was the same place Fin would run off to whenever he needed to be alone. Of course that fool always ran as far into the road as he could get, leaving Jackson to go in after him. There was a trend there, wherever Fin went, Jackson was sure to follow, first here in Cascade, then to England, and on to France.
Jackson just stood and watched Maureen for a moment before finally walking over, and sitting on the grass next too her. "Top of the mornin', to ya lassie." Jackson stated in his best impression of an Irish accent. "I ean that is what you Irish say, right? Fin was always a stickler about 'proper English' and only allowing one drink a night while in France. THe man was a regular dictator." She was staring at her arm, and Jackson's smile faded. The last thing she probably wanted was her brothers friend watching her. "Maureen, you aren't supposed to be doing magic out here by yourself..." Jackson turned his head, coughing into his arm, and closing his eyes once he was done. "Uuuggghhh. that felt great..."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 2, 2015 4:16:13 GMT -5
This was terrible. It was so ugly and she couldn't conceal it! Who would ever want to marry her, now that she was scarred and mutilated? She would have to live with her parents forever. Days spent doing embroidery, creating useless little couch cushions and wall samplers and ugh no it was insupportable! She would run away first. She would run away to the city and ... and ... do something, and ...
God, she couldn't do anything! She was entirely useless! She couldn't even cover up a stupid scar! Oh, this was the worst day. She just wanted it to end. She tugged her knees up to her chest and hugged herself as stupid, pointless tears welled up in her eyes.
That was when somebody appeared next to her, and Maureen startled, instinctively lifting her arms in defense, before realizing that she knew this person and that he wasn't scary. She wiped at her eyes and then gave her best attempt at a grin. "I guess I'll find out if I ever get to go there." She couldn't help but giggle a bit at his comments about Fin. "Yes, he can be like that sometimes. It's nice, though. Nice that somebody cares enough to bother."
Once she'd determined that the newcomer was not a threat, she'd gone back to staring at her arm and the hideous word branded along the top of it. Jackson scolded her gently, and her brows drew together. "I'm sick of everybody staring at me. That's all they do now. I turn a corner, and they all go quiet and stare and I just know they've been talking about me. It doesn't feel good. I'd rather be by myself than deal with any more of that. None of this is my fault but I'm the one who has to suffer. It's not fair, and it makes me angry."
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 2, 2015 19:05:26 GMT -5
Jackson couldn't help but feel for the girl, as she stared at her arm, he reached up and touched the scar that was stretched across his neck and throat. He remembered when he ad been injured, he could still vividly recall the feel of the cold steel sliding across his collarbone and plunging into his neck and throat. Laying in the mud, helpless as he watched from his back while men fought over him. He could hear the gun fire, and the bombs, as if he was still laying in the mud of that cursed German trench. Jackson eyes started to dilate as the sight of Maureen's own scar brought up memories he kept buried, finally he shook his head, "It's just noise. It's just the band tuning up..." Seeing the look Maureen gave him at that, Jackson smiled, and winked. "Sometimes it gets a bit noisy in here." He replied, tapping his temple and rolling his eyes.
"Sometimes?" Jackson cocked an eyebrow, and gently nudged Maureen with his elbow. "Come on, Fin is always like that. Don't deny it." Jackson smiled, trying his best to get her out of her funk. He knew what those kind of thoughts could do to a person. He had more than once been woken up by the sound of a single gunshot, to find a man lying face down in his bed, or in the trench where no enemy bullet could get. To concentrate on ones wounds, and how they had gotten them was bad for the mind.
When she mentioned everyone staring, the smile softened, and his eyes lit up briefly, and nodded. "Well of course thy stare, and get quiet. Look at you, you are a dream given life. A flesh and lood work of art." Snapping his finger, he pursed his lips, and narrowed his eyes as he thought. "AH! I got it. Beauty incarnate, is what I was thinking of..." Jackson had to stop and lean away, as he started coughing. When he finally stopped he sat back up.
"They're just stunned by your beauty Maureen. That and they are scared, they've heard of your brother for sure. no one is willing to flirt with an Angel tht has the Devil for her brother." Jackson smiled, and reach out, messing with her hair. "Come on, give a smile. Pouting doesn't suit you. You're an O'b-" Jackson stopped, and smiled, "You're a beauty, and pouting doesn't go well with that."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 2, 2015 23:29:10 GMT -5
Jackson muttered some confusing things, and Maureen glanced over at him. His eyes were ... clouded, in some way, but only for the briefest of moments. He recovered quickly, made a joke, and rolled his eyes. A little crumple formed between Maureen's eyebrows. Jackson had been a soldier, too - scarred and broken like Fin. All because people decided it was necessary to hurt each other. All these people wandering around, lost, bearing scars that were senseless ... all the wasted flesh.
Oh, this was confusing. It was as though she'd gone to sleep a frivolous child and woken up to a completely different world. She understood things now that she had been much happier ignoring. "Fin is ... protective," she offered with another attempted smile. "Now I think I understand why." There it was again: a moment of levity and then the downward crash. Why even try today? Why not just put off the 'trying-to-feel-good' thing for next week? Or next month, or next year, or ...
Wait, what? Had she heard that correctly? Was this actual grown man calling her beautiful? That wasn't really something that happened ... ever. Except for Fin, and of course he had to tell her she was perfect and wonderful and lovely because he was her brother.
Oh, well, Jackson probably didn't mean it. He was just trying to make her feel better ... but that knowledge didn't keep her from blushing. "What?" she exclaimed, laughing, feeling both delighted and a little bit embarrassed, her face turning the same color as her hair. She found herself tugging her sleeve down again, covering up the scars that marred her flesh. Nobody could ever find those beautiful.
It felt nice, having her hair touched. She kind of wanted it to continue. She also kind of wanted to ask about the coughing, but she had a terrible suspicion that it was related to the scarring on his neck, and impulsive war questions weren't necessarily the best things to pursue. "Umm ... well ... I'm not sure if anyone thinks that. But it's a nice idea, anyway. I'm sure you've seen far more beautiful people traveling the world. I think Fin mentioned something about a woman in France?" She offered a teasing grin. Any topic of conversation was better than remembering those terrifying faces staring down at her ...
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 3, 2015 3:14:25 GMT -5
Jackson watched as he managed to make Maureen smile, even if it was just a twitch of her lips towards him. That was all it took for him to be convinced that what he was doing was a good idea. So with that encouragement, the man set himself to the task of making the girl forget the pain that must be in her heart and mind. Running a hand through his black hair, he swallowed, cleared his throat and rubbed his neck, god it still hurt.
Her words that Fin was protective made Jackson nod, and smile, "Yeah, he is. I don't think there was ever a day in France where he did't say a pray for you over that picture of the two of you..." Jackson chuckled as he remembered those days. "I think that's why Fin survived the war. He never asked for himself to be spared, he always asked for you and his fellow soldiers to make it through the day unscathed, and that if anything had to happen, to let it happen to him." Jackson smiled, and then noticed the color of her cheeks, "Oh my god... You are blushing, Maureen...." Winking Jackson smiled, "I didn't thik you could ever get more beautiful." As her face grew redder, Jackson started laughing, and rolled onto his side.
The laugher was short lived, and Jckson was taken by a sudden violent coughing fit. Laying on the ground, his eyes closed, his hands gripping the grass. Jackson coughed, and coughed. He couldn't breath, or see, it just was pain, white hot, choking pain. Hearing Maureen say something, he held his hand out to make her stay. "Need-can't breath- space..." Finally he stopped, and Jackson stared at the flecks of red on the green grass. Careful not to let Maureen see it, he sat up, and smiled at her. "I'm alright.." His voice was hoarse, and it hurt to talk, but talk he did, for her sake.
Her mention of Fin telling her about a girl, made him smile, "Must have been talking about Emilie, sweet girl. tall curvy brunette. Fin always th-" Jackson paused, and ooked back to Maureen, wait he meant me didn't he...." Jackson repliued with a wink, then nodded. "There was a girl, Jessica... she was a beauty. A true blue Irih girl, from Belfast. She had long dark red hair, and eyes as green as emeralds... I loved her, she was sweet, and perfect..." Jackson took a breath, and looked at Maureen. "What about you? I'm sure you have boys hounding you."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 3, 2015 20:06:49 GMT -5
"Really? You mean it?" Maureen couldn't help but smile broadly at the thought of Fin praying for her when he had so many bigger things to worry about. After all, what was going to happen to her? The worst she'd dealt with were loneliness and frustration with her parents, and there he was, sitting on a battlefield, praying for her safety ... oh, she was lucky, wasn't she? Maybe when she graduated and no one wanted to marry her because she was repulsively scarred, she and Fin could go to Ireland! Oh, and maybe they could live out in the middle of nowhere, and Fin would marry some lovely person, and then Maureen would have a sister, too, and they would all laugh together and Fin's eyes wouldn't look so sad anymore and ...
Oh, another compliment. Her face burned even more, and just as she was looking up to flash him a brilliant grin, Jackson started having a terrifying attack of that coughing. God, it sounded so painful and she started to reach out, asking "Are you - " but he waved her away, and so she hugged her knees to her chest again and closed her eyes and waited for it to pass. Wrenching, wracking, horrible coughs - finally over - "I'm alright ... " - but those words sounded painful, too! "Are you sure?" she asked, worry in her voice and in her eyes. "You don't have to talk to me, you know. You've done plenty already, and it sounds like it hurts."
But, as it turned out, the next thing he told her was just too priceless. Looking delighted, Maureen finally found herself falling out of that self-pitying, hugging posture. She leaned forward, mirthful smile on her lips, and suddenly she sounded exactly like her usual self. "Fin? And Emilie? Fin got a girlfriend? A curvy girlfriend? Oh, oh oh oh I can't wait to see him and drop that name. Emilie? Oooohh, were they serious? Was he completely, madly, head-over-heels in love? ... Oh, no, wait, don't tell me if it hurts you to talk. Oh, but ... Emilie. Oh, I just can't even ... "
Huge belly laughs overtook her for several long moments, and it felt good. It felt normal. All right, maybe if she just strung together all the normal moments and tried to ignore the horrible ones in between ... maybe then she could move forward? Maybe that was the way it had to work? If it was going to work at all?
Feeling much more lighthearted, Maureen slipped into the Irish accent she'd practiced throughout her life. Oh, if acting were an appropriate job for a young lady, she would have stolen the stage. "Jessica, you say? Ah, boyo with his eyes full of stars. 'Tis only a stepmother would blame you." Then she blushed again, feeling silly, so she turned her gaze away from Jackson and plucked a few long blades of grass to amuse herself with braiding together.
"Some boys flirt with me, but not the right ones, I'm afraid. Crass and boorish, for the most part. They seem to think that if they start a rumor about a girl, she'll respond by making the rumor true. Well, not me. I prefer to set the story straight, and politeness be damned. Oh!" She covered her mouth and looked a little guiltily over at Jackson. "Don't tell Fin I said that out loud?"
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 7, 2015 0:52:25 GMT -5
Watching Maureen laugh, and forget her troubles, even for a moment, Jackson smiled, and fixed his hair back. The constant pain in his neck, the burning in his lungs, and throat. It was worth it in this moment to help the sister of his friend forget. Plus he was giving her dirt on Fin to use against him, so there was that. When she asked if he was okay, Jackson merely waved his hand dismissively. "You get used to it. The constant pain." Clearing his throat, he smiled and rubbed his jaw, "I have to admit, Emilie was gorgeous, though as much as Fin loved her. I don't think she ever really loved him back. She was a farm girl, and Fin... well Fin was the charming Irish-American soldier. Well, she knew what that meant, she knew what could happen to him, so I don't think she ever got attached the way he did." Pausing, Fin reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask, unscrewing yhe top, he took a drink and held it to Maureen, "Mint, lemon, and water, ir helps my throat. No alcohol, it burns too much anymore" As she took the flask he continued, "So your brother is there for four years. Our unit being sent all over the front, because we were getting results. He alway found a way to visit her once a week if he could. But when the war ended, he went to her, and asked her to marry him, and she said she would. But only if the stayed in France. Well, Fin couldn't do that. He made a promise, to you, that he would come back and he would always be there for you. Well she called him pathetic, and told him to leave. So he left, he never said a word to her after that day, because to him, family is more important than anything. Espally you, Maureen." Jackson grew quiet, and took his flask back, have another quick drink before putting it back in his coat.
When she asked about Jessica, Jackson shrugged, "Not much to tell, I met her near the end, she was the nurse that brought me back to health. We fell for each other, and lived happily for a few years. Until the day I walked in on her and some Frenchman. So... now I can never return to France." Jackson ran his fingers through the grass they were sitting on, before glancing out toward the woods.
"You know Maureen... you are a lot braver than I am, coming our here by yourself." Poin ting out towards the woods, he shivers and swallows hard, "I used to chase Fin out there wherever his anger got the better of him, and I have got to say... I will gladly fight another war, before dealing with those spiders again." Shivering he rubbed his arms, then looked at Maureen and smiled.
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 8, 2015 22:44:00 GMT -5
Constant pain ... you get used to it? Do you get used to the scars and the memories, too? Was that just what happened? Terrible events marred you and then you got used to them?
Maureen had no interest in that. She wanted them erased. Forget getting used to anything, she wanted to turn back time and change things! Run away, ignore the Headmaster's summons, run home and tell Fin what they were planning to do to her before it even happened. Forget getting used to anything!
She shook her head, trying to escape these musings, and tuned in to what Jackson was saying. At first, she felt a flare of anger at the thought of some girl not returning Fin's affection. How could that even happen? Fin was marvelous! The girl must have been mentally challenged.
She accepted the flask, took a long smell of the minty liquid inside it, and then took a sip. It was delicious.
Wait, so ... Emilie had said yes? But Fin had reneged because ... because of her? But ... but ...
Maureen felt a heavy weight in her gut. She was completely torn between wanting to hug her brother and wanting to punch his stupid face. He'd been in love with this girl, he'd wanted to marry her, and then ... he just came home again? What ... what did that even mean?
No, she didn't have a weight in her stomach. She was the weight, the dead weight pulling her brother down. Maureen attempted surreptitiously to wipe away a few tears. She may have been better off not knowing that particular detail of Fin's life ...
"A cheater?" she replied, frowning over at Jackson. "Well, that's terrible. What a nasty woman."
A wry chuckle, and a glance over her shoulder toward the school ... "Well," Maureen said bitterly, "the spiders aren't as scary as that place right now."
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 12, 2015 2:21:26 GMT -5
Jackson sat quietly next to Maureen for a moment, watching the emotions race across her face. The pain and anguish was evident, as well as the confusion.he knew how she felt, to have everything you had known, and trusted ripped away from you. Jackson hadn't been as naive or innocent as Maureen was. How could he, Finley was his closest friend. He did however understand how it felt to be betrayed,and having those you trusted destroy everything you had believed in.
Jumping to his feet, Jackson looked down at Maureen and smiled softly to her. Holding out his hand, Jackson modded at her. "Hey, come on. Up you get, darling. No more sitting here and being sad. I won't allow it. Plus if Finley knew I let you sit here alone, in this mind set. Well... you know how the man can be."
Pulling Maureen to her feet, Jackson spun her around, before taking ahold of her hand in his. "Come on Maureen. Why don't you take a walk with me. It's been a few years, since I've been here. Why don't you show me what is new?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 12, 2015 23:13:49 GMT -5
She looked up at him with a skeptical furrow in her brow. Not sit here being sad? But ... it was safe out here. Usually, people didn't come walking by. No one was going to snatch her and do terrible things to her. There was comfort in that. Being alone didn't alleviate the sadness, of course, but neither did being surrounded by people who thought her strange, or fragile, or pitiable.
This man was ... well, somewhat infuriating, merely in his insistence to pull her out of her funk ... but he was also comforting in his own way: Fin's friend, very much not a threat to her wellbeing, and treating her as though she weren't irrevocably broken. So she let him tug her to her feet, then emitted a squealing laugh when he spun her. All of it felt nice. Not disgusting like the boys she had to deal with on a daily basis, or threatening like the Antonucchi professors. Just nice.
Don't go developing a crush, you stupid girl, Maureen scolded herself.
She slung her bag over her shoulder, looked down for a moment at her hand where it was wrapped up in his, and then shrugged. "All right. I'm not sure there's much that's new, though. Um ... there are some fairy circles over this way, though. They popped up sometime last year. Sometimes you can catch grasshoppers there, and they sing to you."
Oh, she wanted to ask about his scars ... whether people looked at him funny, or treated him differently because he had been wounded. Whether those kinds of marks stopped seeming like a terrible burden. ... Maybe later, though. Not right now.
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 13, 2015 0:48:19 GMT -5
"Fairy circles!?!?" Jackson's face lit up, as he held her hand, and they walked. "I haven't seen a true fairy circle... well since I first started school. Then I had to go be an idiot and follow your brother to France."
Starting ff in the direction Maureen had indicated, Jackson searched for ways to distract her from her thoughts. He knew she was staring at the knotted mass that was his neck, but it didn't really bother him. He had embraced that wound and scar long ago. It had reached the point that he felt it was more a badge of honor, than a scar. Even with the offer by the medical staff at the school, to heal the wound, Jackson had ignored the offer.
Looking at Maureen fro m the corner of his eye, Jackson stopped, and pulled Maureen to stand in front of him. "You're curious about it aren't you?" he reached up, pulling his collar open slightly. "It's just a scar. It's not who I am, and it doesn't define me. Am I proud of it? Yes, because I survived it. It is a badge of honor for me, and a reminder of how lucky I was." Gently he lifted her arm, and looked at her. "May I?"
When she didn't pull away, he gently pulled her sleeve up, and shook his head clenching his jaw. The letters, big and bold carved into her fair skin, Jackson gritted his teeth, before smiling. His finger tip traced each letter and his eyes met hers ago. "You know what this is? It is a symbol. It proves your strength. It proves that they are scared of you. Those red curls, freckles, and beautiful eyes? There is an army behind you. Dozens of hard men, all clamoring for vengeance. At the head of the writhing mas? Your brother."
Jackson paused, swallowing, tuching his throat for a moment, and shaking his head, "Fin is at the lead of that army, you know why? Because you are hios sister, and he will never let such an offense to you go quietly." Jackson smiled, and lifted her hand kissing it softly. "You have a family of warriors clambering to right this wrong. The fact you are here, on your feet. That has given more strength than anything in this world. Because you Maureen. That family loves you, and they aren't the only ones." Straighening up, Jackson looked around, "So.. where was that fairy circle? I want to hear those singing grass hoppers."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 13, 2015 2:12:58 GMT -5
Maureen offered a grin in response to Jackson's enthusiasm. Either he was actually interested in the fairy circles, or he was doing an amazing job of humoring her. Either way, she wasn't going to complain about it. She quickened her pace ever so slightly, swinging his arm as she bounced forward, then was halted. What was ... ?
Oh. Oh, no. He'd noticed her staring. She hoped he wasn't offended! "No, I'm sor- " she began, but he didn't seem interested in apologies. Instead, he just spoke about it. About pride and honor and luck ...
She felt almost frozen in that moment, morbidly curious and struck with wonderment at the fact that he was speaking so openly to her. He gestured at her sleeve, and she offered a tiny nod, still completely lost in his face and his scar and his bravery.
It didn't matter how many times Fin told her that he had been foolish, not brave. Maureen would always look in awe at soldiers.
Strange little shock waves of electricity seemed to travel up and down her arm at his touch, as he traced the letters of her hideous brand. Could it really be a symbol of strength? She had only seen it as a symbol of weakness, of vulnerability, of being swept up in events larger than she was and over which she had no control. Was she strong, or was it only her family members who were? Probably only them.
But ... maybe not. She had fought her hardest, really ... she had been bested, but she had gone down spitting and yowling. She had gotten that bastard James punished because she had picked up on his weakness and insulted him for it. That was something, wasn't it?
Maureen swiped at her eyes. Goodness, she just cried at everything lately! "Well, you know what?" she asked, tilting her chin in her best attempt at a prideful pose. "I was strong. Enzo got mad at his son and tortured him because I was stronger than he was. So ... there's that." More silly tears, and she leaned forward to give Jackson the world's quickest hug, then turned her face from him and grabbed his hand to drag him to the fairy circles.
"Grasshopper," she murmured under her breath, "grasshopper, grasshopper ... oh, there's one!" One unladylike dive later, and she had it cupped in her hands.
|
|
Jackson Reed
School Groundskeeper
Some bonds are stronger than blood.
Offline
|
Post by Jackson Reed on Jul 13, 2015 5:01:53 GMT -5
He hesitated as she told him about the other person being tortured because she had figured him out. Maureen definitely put up a fight that Fin would have been proud of. Particularly if she managed to get under an attackers skin. This girl was a fighter just like her brother, and it was good on her for it. Jackson searned the face of the young girl, who in that instance was most definitely an O'Brien.
"Like I said, you're a fighter, Maureen." With that the girl grabbed his hand, and dragged him towards the fairy circle. When they reached the circle, Jackson watched as Maureen crept towards the ring.
When she dove, he lost it. The sight of the so very proper young girl diving after a grasshopper like a young boy would with a frog. Jackson collapsed to the ground, laughing as Maureen caught the grasshopper. When she turned towards him, he struggled by to his feet. Only to collapse to the ground as a coughing fit seized his body.
Once it was over, Jackson stood and smiled at Maureen. "Well, let's see this little friend of you, Sweetheart."
|
|
|
|
Post by Maureen Brady-O'Brien on Jul 13, 2015 23:58:07 GMT -5
"You're a fighter, Maureen."
Well, she certainly wished she didn't have to be, but the compliment was nice. She could have done worse, really. She could have just cried the whole time ... well, she sort of had cried the whole time ... but she'd also gotten James tortured, and that was something.
Nice girls don't feel happy about getting people tortured.
But ... that was stupid. Because she was now part of a war, and she couldn't always be a nice girl. Besides ... no one was going to marry her with the filthy word carved into her arm.
No, no, she couldn't waste her time tormenting herself with these thoughts. She dove into the fairy circle, catching the grasshopper as it leapt away from her, then cupping it in her hands and crooning to it. She could hear Jackson laughing at her, and she turned with a grin on her face, but then ...
Oh, no, oh no oh no ... Another coughing attack ... wracking, painful ... if she were his wife, she would chop up the mint and lemon so very fine that they just dissolved into the water and made the perfect soothing concoction ... and there would be flasks upon flasks of the stuff in the refrigerator at all times ...
Yeeeeah, she was developing a stupid crush. She hoped it would go away once he wasn't around.
Well, he was finished coughing, so she rose to her feet and approached, holding her hands up toward his ear. "You should request a song," she whispered, a childish grin on her lips. "I think you'll find its repertoire quite extensive."
|
|
