Medusa (A Fairytale Green FanFic)

Chapter 25.5: The Kiss-Dismisser

Pushing Ella out of the house was definitively one of the more difficult things I've had to ever do, but it had to be done.

Tonight wasn't a night I could blow off Litora Bello since it was one of my own fights, and with a guest fighter no less. Supposedly, he was supposed to be one of the best in Nevada, and he also had connections, so it could be important.

Under normal circumstances, the chance to fight someone fresh would have me aching for the sand ring, but when I could have instead been kissing Ella against my bookshelf, there was simply no competition.

My fingers tightened around my keys to the point of pain.

"You drive," I said, tossing the keys to my truck to Brennan. His eyes shot wide, and he looked at me in comical curiosity.

"You want me to drive? But you never let me drive your truck!" he exclaimed. Staring down at the keys, he inspected them closely as though it was some kind of prank.

Because that's something I'm known for.

Rolling my eyes, I pretended to take them back, and Brennan turned to protect them.

"No!" He shouted, pushing me back with a hand on my chest; I raised my eyebrows slowly. "These are mine now, Stoney boy." I was so absorbed by my own thoughts that I didn't even react to Stoney Boy.

"You know," he continued, "you've been awfully quiet since I interrupted you and Ella in your bedroom..." he trailed off in a playful tone.

"What of it?" I grumbled

"Nothing." The tone he used suggested the opposite, but I wasn't playing into his manipulation.

"Okay, great. I'm glad it's nothing."

Brennan looked at the keys and squinted at me. He locked the doors. I tried to pull the handle, but it wasn't going anywhere. Growling under my breath, I turned on the spot to look at my brother.

His arms were crossed, and he had a petulant smile on his face. He looked so much like Kelly in this moment, I was almost inclined to answer him.

"Spill. Or you will be late."

"What do you want to hear?" I asked, matching his stance.

"Well, the truth, for one."

"Naturally."

"Did it have something to do with a bet about your name...?" he asked, a devious grin twisting his mouth. A moment of shock flooded my system.

"How did you..." I trailed off. "Did Ella ask you?" Brennan snorted, and shook his head.

"Mom." I frowned.

"How did Mom know about that?"

"Because Ella asked her, and then I both eavesdropped on the conversation and then gossiped with mom about it after Ella, and then you, disappeared."

"You and Mom are both so meddling," I groaned, covering my face with a hand. Leaning against the car door, I stared at the ground with my right palm covering my mouth.

"What was the bet?" Brennan asked. "Mom and I were trying to figure it out, but we didn't come up with anything good."

"You mean you don't know?" I asked skeptically.

"Well, no," Brennan said, "Ella just mentioned that if she got your name, it would be against you, and then mom's rationale was that no matter what, you'd want her to win."

I groaned again. Clenching my eyes shut, a snicker fell out without permission. "Of course, she gave up my name."

"Well, what was the bet?"