Not Your Average Fairytale

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

            “We are not going with this guy,” Baylor said in a low voice the moment Brent walked off to go to the car.

            “Why not?” Wynter replied. “He’s been right so far.”

            “Because we don’t know why he’s doing this,” he reasoned.

            “As much as I hate to agree with him,” Jasper spoke up from his chair leaned back against the wall, “he’s right. I don’t like the guy.”

            “I promise, Brent’s a good guy,” Sebastian said earnestly.

            “How can you say that? You just found out the guy has been lying to you about everything!” Baylor said, raising his voice at the end of the sentence, only to be shushed by Arabella.

            “So has Rosalyn,” Sebastian countered.

            “That’s different,”  Jasper said, annoyed.

            “No, it isn’t.” Arabella was the next to join the conversation. “I knew Rosalyn wanted someone who she could plan this with. In fact, she asked me to be it and I said no. So, I think this guy really is her confidant.”

            “Brent really cares about Rosalyn. If he didn’t think this was what was best for her, he wouldn’t be doing this,” Sebastian  said.

            “Besides, you’re outnumbered,” Wynter added. “Right, Ashleigh and Everett?”

            “Sorry, I do agree with them,” Everett said to Baylor, gesturing to Wynter.

            “As do I,” Ashleigh added.

            “Fine. But don’t think I’m going to be happy about this,” Baylor grumbled.

            “Are you guys done arguing about whether to trust me or not yet?” Brent asked from behind them, making everyone jump. “Time’s wasting.”

            The group followed him to the car, albeit some very reluctantly followed, where they all piled in again. Jasper called shot gun again, and Ashleigh drove. “How far away is Merida?” she asked.

            “It should be less that half an hour,” Brent answered, shrugging.

            “And you grew up there?” Ashleigh asked.

            “Yes,” he replied, smiling at her. Everett’s gut once again twisted painfully. Their latest new comer was certainly charming, which alarmed him. He wondered what Ashleigh though about him, and immediately tried to rid his mind of those thoughts.

            “How charming,” Jasper sarcastically drawled from the front seat, his tone dripping with disdain. Arabella glanced over at him.

            She didn’t know what it was about Brent that made Jasper dislike him so much, but a little piece of her was gleeful. Finally there was someone who got under Jasper’s skin as he did hers.

            She couldn’t help but enjoy watching him get upset. She’d always found him quite amusing when he was annoyed, even before everything had happened. He was almost comical, in a sense, reminding her a lot of a toddler pitching a tantrum.

            Jasper looked up, and they met eyes for a moment. She wanted to look away immediately, but she resisted, and instead, she made herself smirk over at him. She refused to let him see he made her uncomfortable still in any way.