Mismatched

Chapter Nine

After much squealing with glee, our mother finally appeared to find out what all the excitement was about. Ivy lingered at the door while we told our mother the news but when she heard what it was about she just scoffed and walked back to her room. Anything positive regarding me was probably a negative to Ivy.

A trip to the pool was long forgotten, I spent the evening with Bryony and mom. I couldn't help but wonder if there was any connection to the forming of my mark and meeting Reed. Could he be my Match? We never did get around to talking about our marks. It's not something you bring up in a normal conversation. Apparently, I wasn't the only one to have these thoughts as Bryony soon asked.

"Do you think Reed could be your Match?" She whispered in my ear as our mother chatted on excitedly to herself.

"I don't know. We never talked about our marks or if we even had one." I reply.

"Do you want him to be?" She asked with a smirk. I couldn't help but blush a bit, but soon tamped my embarrassment down.

"Maybe. He's nice. He was funny, sweet, c—" I begin.

"—Absolutely gorgeous." Bryony offers, interrupting me.

"There is that." I grin at her. "Axl doesn't seem to like him either, so there is another plus."

"I thought you two were getting along." Bryony asks and I scoff.

"We're civil. That's a long way from actually getting along." I tell her. "I won't push him into a snake pit because he my future bother-in-law's best friend. That doesn't mean I won't fantasize about doing it on a regular basis." Bry laughs at this, getting our mother's attention.

"What did I miss?" Mom asks.

"Nothing mother, just girl talk." I assure her. This seems to be enough because she goes back to jabbering about soul mates.

~ ~ ~

Over the next few days I continue to eat lunch with Reed and every night I check my mark, watching it darken from a light freckle brown to a crisp black. I notice it starts to resemble a pair of crossed arrows and a shield. The details are still a fuzzy, but it is still early days.

On the following Tuesday, Reed has to go to the library to get some research material for a report he's writing so I decide to spend lunch with Bryony and her honor guard. When I arrive at the table, I sit in my usual seat across from her, I start to drizzle dressing over my salad when Axl's deep baritone voice sounds from behind me.

"What are you doing here?" He asks. "Don't you eat lunch with McIntyre now?"

"Who?" I ask, confused.

"You don't know the name of the guy you've been eating lunches with?" He asks, frowning. Oh, McIntyre. That must be Reed's last name. I ignore his comment and answer his first question instead.

"My new friend, Reed, is busy so I came to eat with my sister, like I have almost every day since infancy. Do you have an problem with that?" I question him back.

"Just didn't realize your relationship with your own sister hung on whether you were getting attention from some guy." He says condescendingly. He places his tray down next to me, across from where Shale and Bryony are now sitting and watching the show with identical frowns.

"You should try it, Axl. Meeting a girl, I mean. You know, try being friendly and approachable. But I guess it's hard for you to keep girls around. Maybe if you were cuter it would make up for your shitty personality." I say while staring him down, repeating what I heard him say about me not so long ago. I see that he recognizes his words. I know that he knows I heard him say it. Axl immediately clinches his jaw, not saying anything back and ending the verbal battle. I win.