Huntress Claimed

by M K Masterson

  "Are you laughing at me?" Korina snapped. Her hands went immediately to her hips, and her face was still in an angry red pout, and becoming redder by the second.

  "I am," I giggled, and then sighed, tilting my head back to catch some air. The situation was pretty much extinguished from my end. So I sat back down, leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms while staring her down with a smirk on my face.

  "Nate, do something!" She huffed.

  His face transformed into one of total shock; eyebrows going up in disbelief.

  "What do you want me to do about it?" He questioned her; his eyes scrutinizing her in derision.

  "She's laughing at me. I don't want to sit here," she pouted.

  Nate deliberately pulled out a chair next to Ajax and turned to her.

  "Korina, you started this. I told you Blaine was making shit up. But you didn't believe me. If you don't like the consequences of your actions, go find Blaine and sit with him," he snapped.

  Korina's face reddened to the shade of a fire hydrant. She narrowed her eyes at Nate, and stomped her foot. Then, huffed, and stalked off.

  Nate watched her go before sliding down into his seat.

  My mouth started to form the word "wow," thinking, wow, what a bitch, but before I could get it out, Meredith side-kicked me in the shins under the table. I turned to glare at her, but she pretended nothing had happened as she snacked on her lunch. While my head was turned, Jesse whispered so low in my ear that I almost didn't hear him.

  "You won. Don't say one word to ruin your victory."

  "You know she's going to run to Blaine," Ajax addressed Nate, who was picking at his lunch with a fork and shrugged. "You know she is going to use this as an excuse to mess around."

  Nate sighed and turned to him.

  "And do you think I should run after her?" Nate's sneered.

  "I am just telling you in case you want to stop her."

  Nate sighed again and turned back to his lunch.

  I wasn't sure what Nate's inaction meant. Was this a common thing between them? Did Korina pout and walk away often? Did Nate just not care anymore? And if he didn't care, then why was he still with her? I was about to ask him when he shifted in his seat, and I saw the hint of a chain around his neck gleam in the light. Guys wore necklaces all the time so I couldn't tell you why it drew my attention at the time, but it did. I followed the chain into his shirt with my eyes, where I saw the indentation of something round about the size of a quarter.

  "What is the charm on your necklace?" I probed, my eyes still on the hidden charm.

  Nate looked taken back and amused. His fingers went to his necklace, and he brought it out from underneath his shirt. It was a worn piece of metal. Not exactly silver or nickel. The light dancing off the metal made it difficult to pin down a color. In some parts of the light, it was silver or blue. In other parts, it looked hematite. There was no detail on the charm. It was just a round disc with another metal piece attached at the top so the chain could go through.

  "It's called a ‘bulla,'" Nate remarked.

  I stretched out my hand, reaching for the charm, as Nate watched me, entertained. I tried to touch the circular object, but it felt funny or numbing on my fingertips. Like the feeling right before static shock, and I just couldn't grab hold of it. The sensation made me uncomfortable, and I pulled my hand away.

  "What is a ‘bulla'?" I asked, still entranced by the charm.

  "In Roman times, it was a good-luck charm for boys. I guess you can say it is the same for me." His lips tipped in a thoughtful half smile.

  "What type of metal is that?" I questioned him, never having seen anything like it before.

  "It's really a mix of metals that have been melted down and combined together."

  "Is that even possible to do with metals?"

  Nate shrugged, noncommittedly. "Apparently so."

  "It probably takes a special craftsman to experiment with metals like that," Ajax chimed in, casually.

  I had completely forgotten the others around us, as I was so captivated by Nate and his charm. I finally glanced back at Ajax, who was just studying me. From the corner of my eye, I could see Meredith grinning from our interaction. Jesse appeared indifferent.

  "I don't really know who made it. It's a special heirloom from my parents so I would have to ask them," Nate responded, drawing the attention back to himself.

  "Does it feel ‘zingy' against your skin?"

  Nate's eyes lit up again in merriment.

  "Does it feel ‘zingy' against your fingers?" Nate challenged.

  Ajax leaned in on his elbows, a sandwich dangling from his left hand. Beckoning me to come closer toward him.

  "I bet it has magical properties," Ajax whispered in all seriousness, but his eyes danced with amusement, and a hint of a smile was shaping the corners of his lips.

  Nate scowled in return.

  "Ow!" Ajax flinched and glared at Meredith, who gave him a saccharine smile. "Why are you so violent, woman?"

  "I wouldn't have to be so violent if you would just think before opening your mouth!" Meredith exclaimed.

  "Are we on for this afternoon?" Jesse interrupted, breaking the magnetic mysticism that had been woven in the air previously. From the change in subject, the others relaxed back into their seats, and Nate tucked the necklace back under his shirt.

  "I think so," Ajax responded; after which, he polished off the rest of his sandwich, and then wiped his hands on a napkin, throwing it into his lunch bag.

  I was paying attention to their conversation, but I found myself withdrawing into myself. It wasn't that I felt excluded, it was just habit. But it gave me time to finish off my lunch.

  "My parents are working today, so we can be as loud as we want," Nate responded.

  "Within reason, boys. Remember last time. The neighbors called the police," Meredith reprimanded.

  Although I was withdrawn, the conversation did intrigue me. What had them being so loud that the police had to be called?

  Ajax scowled in annoyance. "Nate, your neighbors are stupid. It was 3:30 in the afternoon. It's not like it was midnight."

  "Dude, they work the night shift," Nate snickered. "Of course they might be a little pissy."

  Ajax shrugged. "Still."

  "Perhaps Caden might want to come," Meredith volunteered, feigning innocence.

  I felt my cheeks get warm at the mention of my name, just because the attention was being drawn back to me after I had retreated. They all turned to look at me.

  "I don't know if that's a good idea. Korina might be there," Ajax probed, shifting his eyes to Nate, waiting for his response, which was a scoff.

  "Knowing how pissed off she is, she's not coming near me for a while. She's going to expect me to grovel."

  "You going to?" Ajax smirked to which Nate just shrugged.

  Meredith shook her head and then sat up straight to look at me. "So, how about it, Caden? Do you want to join us after school?"

  "And what would I be doing?"

  "Watching our band, the Greasy Monkeys, practice," Meredith responded.

  I smiled wide and felt excited for the first time since my encounter with Korina. How cool was that! I was going from no social life to a social life outside of school! But I cleared the excitement from my face, and I tried going for nonchalance.

  "I don't know," I teased. "I guess it would depend on how good you are." I tried very hard to feign seriousness, but I felt a grin break out on my face.

  "You are looking at the best lead singer and bassist in the school," Ajax smugly responded.

  "Second best bassist. I am the first," Meredith declared.

  "So, you and Meredith are bassists. You are the lead singer. What do you two do in the band?" I asked Jesse and Nate.

  "Jesse is on the drums. And I have backup vocals with Mere and play the guitar," Nate replied.

  "Of course you do," I blurted before thinking, slightly blushing again. I had always thought guitarists were hot. The way they mo
ved their fingers over those chords, and the strumming. It didn't surprise me that Nate was the guitarist. Not to mention he was backup vocals. I don't think I could have been anymore attracted to him.

  Nate was polite and grinned shyly.

  "You wouldn't happen to play anything, would you? Perhaps the keyboard?" Ajax asked me.

  "Nope. I'm not musically inclined at all. Did you guys lose a member?" I noticed all them, but Nate shifting uncomfortably.

  Nate just looked pissed, and clenched his jaw, like he had earlier with the mention of the name Blaine. Things were starting to add up.

  "Blaine was your keyboard guy, wasn't he?" I questioned quietly.

  No one dared to say anything, but I saw small nods, and they were still avoiding eye contact with Nate.

  "I don't get it. How was that preppy piss ant part of your band?"

  "He wasn't always like that," Jesse kindly replied. "His father wanted him to try out for football last spring. And after he made it, he kinda disconnected from us."

  "Not before fu- Ow! Dammit, Meredith!" Ajax cried out, as Meredith had apparently kicked him underneath the table again.

  "His loss. I think you guys are awesome. I would love to watch you guys play." I received a small appreciative smile from Nate, who still looked angry, but it was fading. "What's your genre?"

  "Punk rock," Nate replied.

  "Shocker," I said sarcastically with a smirk, bringing out Nate's full grin. With the way Nate looked, the spiky hair and black clothing, it wasn't far-fetched. "If your hair was longer, I might have said metal. Or if you were wearing eyeliner, I might have guessed emo punk. Who came up with the name ‘Greasy Monkeys'?"

  "Guess," Jesse said.

  Knowing what I knew about the guys at the table, there could only be one with the humor to name their band the "Greasy Monkeys." And as I looked at him, Ajax's Cheshire grin proved me correct.

  "Of course it was you," I remarked, looking at Ajax, who laughed.

  "Already she knows me so well," Ajax said with a smile.

  "Of course she does," Meredith replied with assurance written on her face, and straightening her shoulders. "I knew she would be the perfect fit for our little group."

  Just then, the bell rang to signal that lunch was over, and the group groaned.

  Chapter Five

  "Where you going, Caden?" Meredith asked, gathering up her trash.

  "Physical Science. You?"

  Meredith scowled. "I had that earlier today. I have American History next, which is on the other side of the building."

  "I'll walk with you to science," Nate chimed in, grabbing the table's trash and dumping it into the trash can next to our table. "I have AP Bio. It's right next door."

  I saw Meredith's face light up as if her matchmaking skills were paying off. Jesse and Ajax shook their heads as they stood up from the table, knowing her sudden upbeat attitude was from Nate offering to walk me to class.

  "I'll meet you by your locker after school if I don't catch you before then," she replied, standing up.

  "Sounds good," I replied.

  "Good luck." She winked at me, while Ajax nudged her arm.

  "Come on, Red."

  Jesse nodded in our direction before heading off with Meredith and Ajax to the other side of the building. I looked down at my area on the table one last time to make sure it was clean and grabbed my folders and pen from under my chair. I stood up and noticed that Nate was patiently waiting for me with a small smile on his face.

  We headed to our classes silently at first, going down the stairs that I had gone up for lunch, but going in the direction opposite from my creative writing class on the first floor. I wanted to say something to Nate, but I wasn't sure what to say. I was excited to be alone with him again, but I felt awkward about the confrontation I had had with his girlfriend. It changed the dynamic of our situation.

  "I'm sorry for whatever problems I caused between you and your girlfriend," I blurted out.

  Nate looked startled by my forwardness for a second before he schooled his expression. His lips turn up in a sexy half smile that made my insides flutter.

  "Korina is just finally afraid her actions may have caught up to her, and I may want to move on."

  "Do you?" I asked quickly in a hushed voice. I was barely able to contain the joy shouting inside my head, and my pulse jumping all over the place.

  "Now more than ever." He looked at me with all seriousness.

  What's holding you back! I'll take you. Pick me! Pick me! The voice inside my head was shouting. Instead, I played it cool.

  "So?" I pried.

  He looked away from me, and the excitement I felt halted. We were walking past the library at this point, which was on my left. Most people called it the "fishbowl." The walls were nothing but glass so everybody could watch everything within. In fact, I saw Sera behind the reception desk with a great big smile on her face, as an averagely tall, young guy with dirty blonde hair was talking to her with a giant smile on his face. He was wearing a light blue polo and khakis. It appeared he was leaning toward her. I narrowed my eyes. I would be questioning her about this guy later. I tried to refocus on Nate.

  "So?" I repeated.

  "My relationship with Korina is complicated."

  "How so?" I questioned.

  He seemed to be assessing responses in his head before he replied. "Most of the time we can't stand each other."

  Inside my head, I was screaming, then why the hell are you even with her! But again, I didn't follow through with that anxious voice.

  "Oh?"

  Nate shook his head. I felt like it was more toward himself than toward me.

  "I know it sounds stupid. It even sounds stupid to me after I say it. But around Korina, I feel like myself. If I feel angry, I can be angry. If I feel happy, I can be happy."

  "And you don't feel like you can be yourself around other people?" We had just stopped by the cement wall next to our classrooms, which were on the right of us. Nate stood in front of me, gazing into my eyes softly.

  "I like how you…look at me. It makes me want to feel that way toward you." The softness in his eyes went away, and I knew what he was going to say next might hurt.

  I tried to find the aloofness within myself that I had built up in previous school years, where other kids didn't want to have anything to do with me, and I saw Nate's face become a little hardened.

  "But I don't know if I really feel that way, or if I feel that way because of the way you…look at me," he finished.

  Yeah, that was an ouch moment, and if I hadn't prepared myself, I might have hurt more. But in truth, I really had just met him. I didn't really know who he was, even if I felt like I was instantly connected to him, as well as Meredith. It was fair enough for him to say to me that he didn't know how he felt about me. He had been with his girlfriend for a while, it sounded like, and he had only known me half a day.

  "Moving from place to place every other year made making friends kinda difficult," I started. "It has been awesome to connect with a few people already on my first day of another new school. I don't know your history with your girlfriend. And I really don't want to get into the middle of all that. But you are right, I do like you. I think you are a really cool guy. And I think you would be a really cool friend."

  "A cool friend?" Nate eyed me suspiciously.

  "Yes, a friend," I responded even though Nate still didn't look very convinced.

  "It was never my intention to cause drama on my first day," I continued. "Why don't we shake on promising to remain friends?"

  Nate's face softened, and he gave me a small grin.

  "That I can do." He extended his hand, and I took it. His hand was warm and soothing, and his grip was secure and concealed most of my hand. And the minute we shook, I felt something within me snap into place as if our decision was binding, and my heart ached a little. I pulled my hand away and stepped back.

  "I guess we better go to class," Nate rasped.

  "I gue
ss we should." We both turned to walk into our classrooms, which were right next to one another; his on the right, mine on the left.

  Entering the classroom, I barely registered Mr. Twillinger ask for my name. And when I did give it to him, I wandered like a zombie to the lab table he had pointed to. Inside, I felt like I had promised something that I shouldn't have, and it rubbed me the wrong way. Thank goodness it was the first day of school because even though it was difficult for me to concentrate in science, I knew what to expect: class syllabus, school book, expectations, etc. I was starting to notice that Nate had a tendency to do that to me. Really, I couldn't afford to let it happen during science. Science and social studies were my worst subjects, and classes that I really needed to pay attention to.

  So I really did try to bring my attention back to Mr. Twillinger towards the end of the period. He really wasn't helping though. He sounded like a whispering Ben Stein, lulling me to sleep with the sound of his voice. I would have to find some way to make it through that class the rest of the year.

  When the period had finally ended, I groggily got my materials together and made my way out of the classroom. I wasn't too sure how to approach Nate. Thinking throughout the period, part of me wanted to tell him that I take it all back, but the other part of me was saying that I had made the right decision. It was nice to have friends for once, and I didn't need a boyfriend. I had never had a boyfriend so I wouldn't know the difference. I really hadn't had any friends either, but I was starting to understand how important they were.

  Regardless of how I felt, my decision to wait for Nate after class was changed when I saw Korina waiting outside Nate's classroom. She had a worried expression on her face and was wringing her hands. Of course, that was until she caught sight of me exiting my class. Her eyes narrowed, and she clenched her jaw. I had no desire to confront her again, especially around Nate. I had told him that I wouldn't interfere in his relationship and promised that we would be friends. So, knowing that this could be a potentially stressful situation for Nate, I walked past his classroom, and past her towards my Spanish III class.