Picnic

I sighed, resting my elbows on the table before resuming my argument with the girl-wizard sitting across from me. "Well, I don't think-"

"Hey baby!"

Oh god.

Ceren Nightchant slid next to me on the wooden bench, bumping hips with me, and across from me, Ellie stifled a laugh. The traitor. Ignoring her, I took a bite out of my sandwich and tried to savor the taste before my appetite was spoiled.

"Aw, come on! Don't want to talk to me, Ryan?"

No. And probably not for as long as I live. Reaching for the glass of water on the table, I took a sip.

"What about our date?"

I spit took and Ellie burst out laughing.

"Excuse me?" I asked, after wiping my face with a napkin.

"You know you want to!" Ceren pushed his hood off, flicking his brown hair back in a pathetic attempt to seduce me.

"Not in your dreams, Ceren! I'm not hanging out with a womanizer like you."

"Don't deny your love for me! I know you came here just to see me babe!" he protested.

"No, I came here with Elle. For her birthday picnic. Not to see some stupid wizard-"

He put his elbows on the table and leaned, causing the whole table to pitch back and forth. Drinks wobbled inside of their glasses, threatening to fall over. "I still remember the little girl who came here to save the fairies!" he said, punching his fist in the air. I resisted the urge to punch my fist in his face. Although, it would probably improve his looks. "And now you're all grown up..."

Then, he shook his head, oblivious to the damage he was doing. My sandwich fell off of its plate onto the grass.

Lunch ruined? Check.

"Look baby," he said, ignoring my excuse as well as my sandwich, "I know you want to hang out with me, and I'm sorry, but I've got to do my work! Moolinda Wu depends on me!" He smiled. "You understand, right?"

I glared at Ellie as clearly as I could, making sure she got the message. Save. Me.

She looked at me pointedly. It's my birthday, her look said. I can do whatever I want. And I say you deal with it.

I made an exasperated face. Come on! Please?

She ignored me, going back to eating large forkfuls of her pasta. What was wrong with her? Couldn't she see that I was one step away from beating the kid to a pulp?

Smiling at Ceren, I kicked her leg underneath the table, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

What was that for?

I can't deal with him! Please! I'll make it up to you!

No.

Please?

No.

"Come on ladies!" Ceren said, interrupting our mental conversation. His eyes flitted back and forth between me and her, trying to figure out what we were saying.

"Although," he added with a smile, "if you're trying to choose which one of you gets me, I can always share!"

You know what, forget this!

I stood up rigidly, my fists balled. "I'm leaving." Swiping my sword up from the bench, I headed towards the Commons tunnel. I felt bad, but I could always see her later, right?

Ceren stood up too, grabbing my wrist as I was about to leave. Drat. "Aw, don't be like that!" he whined. "It's not like I can't see you baby! I'm just... busy!"

I smiled as gently as I could. "Ceren, I-" But instead of finishing my sentence, I stepped on his foot, yanking my arm out of his grasp as he yelped in pain. Ha! Serves him right!

He tried to follow me as I made my way down the road. "Don't you want to hang out with me?" He spun his staff like a baton, then leaned against it, tilting his hand back. "I've saved more fairies then you can count! Moolinda Wu loves me!" he claimed, as if that was a good enough reason for me.

I turned around sharply. "Are you serious?" I scoffed, eyes flashing in anger. Ceren suddenly looked scared. "I've saved at least," I said, counting on my fingers, "what? Six, seven worlds and all the people in them?" I snorted. "I bet Moolinda Wu's just happy that you're stationed in Unicorn Way and not torturing her students."

Just as he was about to protest, I drew the ice sign with my sword, channeling the coldness in the air. He realized what I was about to do and ran forward too late, only to recieve a large ice wall in his face. Tinted blue, it rose up from the ground, jagged crystals of ice preventing Ceren from following me anymore. I smirked. At this point, I was too annoyed to worry about messing up Unicorn Way, but luckily no one was there to witness the damage.

Behind the wall, Ceren shouted something, but I was already too far down the tunnel to hear it.

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"So," Ceren said, nonchalantly plucking an icicle off his cloak, "Wanna go on a date with me? A special present for the special birthday girl!"

Ellie leaned forward and slapped him on the face.