CHAPTER FIVE #2
A gloved hand caught hers, pulling her back upright. In a breath full of cedarwood, she found herself nose-to-nose with…
“GAIR?”
“Hi, Em.”
Em hesitated, double-triple-checking that she wasn’t imagining things. Sure enough, with his blond hair and scaled neck, her best friend from school grinned down at her.
She yanked free from his grasp, butterflies rising into her throat as she choked on a nervous laugh. All she could do to regain her dignity was brush herself off as heat rushed to her face.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Following my best friend into her debut plotline, obviously.” Gair’s aquamarine eyes flashed playfully as he dipped into a low bow. A long blue cloak draped over him, complementing his shimmering dragon-mutant scales. “I figured you might want some help on your questline.”
“You can’t be here!” Em exclaimed.
“Why not?” Gair cocked his head.
“Because…” Em struggled to swallow back her fluster. She dropped her voice into a whisper, almost too scared to say the truth out loud to him. “My story is cursed, Gair.”
“I can work with breaking a curse,” Gair said with a grin.
“No, you don’t understand! Everything I’ve done so far, seen, and talked to has been cliché,” Em explained. “This whole plot would send Mr. Doe into a conniption. I doubt he knew just how many tropes can be stuffed into one questline.”
Gair ran a hand through his ruffled hair. The blond curls fell back into place just so. “It can’t be that bad, Em.” He held out a small business card to her.
“After all, it’s better than what I’ve got.”
Em read the card, her stomach churning.
Larian’s Secondary Character Community College accepts you into its enrollment ranks for the next school year.
“Holy shit!” She ripped the business card up, disgusted. “Gair, you can’t do this to yourself.”
“Why not?” He didn’t quit grinning.
“Why not? Are you fucking serious right now?” Em demanded. “Because you worked so hard to achieve your own story—to go on your own adventures! You’re about to throw everything away you ever studied for or dreamed about. That’s absolutely insane!”
Throw away the chance to achieve what I never got, she left unsaid.
“So?” Gair waved her words away. “Sure, my dad is a great hero, and my mom is a famous Star Walker from the Moon of Lucas, but none of that is as important to me as what I really want.”
Em’s heart skipped a beat. For the first time, she saw her best friend in a new light. His long ranger cloak, his blond hair and piercing eyes, his scarred, muscular olive-skinned arms, and the perfect splash of freckles. And he happened to be in the room alone with her.
A large red warning flag waved in her head with a blaring alarm.
Shit, shit, shit. She stumbled to find the words past her numbed lips. The prophecy, the wizard mentor, the elves, the gay sidekick, but now her best friend?
This story had already dashed her hopes and dreams, but now it was going too far.
“Why?” Em screamed up at the night sky, not caring if her Great Author heard her or not.
Because it’s hilarious.
“Em, relax.” Gair swept her hands into his callused, strong grip. His aquamarine irises softened as he locked onto her. “I wanted this, okay? I wanted to be with you on your stories and witness your greatness. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“No.” Em tried to pull free, but Gair held tight. “No, Gair. Please, not like this.”
“Why not?” He laughed lightly.
“You’re ruining my story!”
“I’m not capable of that,” Gair shook his head, rolling his iridescent orbs.
He flexed his corded, scaled muscles, and it made her want to gag.
She couldn’t believe the way her own mind was playing tricks on her.
This was her childhood best friend. The guy she used to make mudpies or chase fairies in the woods with.
Not like someone she’d ever develop romantic affections for.
Great. My best friend has suddenly been recast as a love interest. Can’t wait for the dramatic confession he’s been hiding behind all the new ‘totally platonic’ stalking.
“Besides, haven’t I trained alongside you our whole lives to be original?” Gair went on, oblivious to her plight. “Don’t you need a third member of your fellowship to complete the prophecy? Couldn’t I be the bit of originality you need to turn everything right-side-up?”
One of the prophecy’s lines hung in the rising tension between them: Three other adventurers will join her… amongst them shall be her One True Love.
“Yeah,” was all Em could manage.
I don’t want to complete the shitty prophecy. She frowned, pulling free. I want to go home and forget this fucking nightmare ever happened.
“It will be fun!” Gair said.
Em struggled to find the words.
“I need to go to bed,” she squeaked.
“Right, of course.” Gair rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling. “Have a good night, Em.”
Without another thought or word, Em dashed from the ballroom to—anywhere. She didn’t care where she ended up in the woven complexity of the Elven covert; she just needed to get away from her cliché best friend.
Hot, bitter tears streamed from her stupid green eyes. Frustrated sobs from the damned day escaped the knot that welled in her chest as she ran.
Fuck you, Author. She wiped her hands across her face, smearing snot and tears. You’re ruining my whole life. I’ll never forgive you for this.
You’re most welcome.