I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 30: I Don't Need Help

We jogged down the path until a familiar figure appeared in the distance in front of a fork in the path. Mr. Tremont waved encouragingly as we came to a stop in front of him.

"Opal! I was wondering when I would get to see you. And who is this dashing young man?" he asked while giving Nathaniel an appraising look.I opened my mouth but Mr. Tremont raised a hand up and yelled, "Wait, don't tell me!"

With a snap, I closed my mouth. Mr. Tremont gazed intensely at Nathaniel who stood still, eyes wide with bewilderment.

"Yes, you must be King Oberon of the Fairies! Which would make you, Miss Opal, his Queen Titania," Mr. Tremont declared with a self-satisfied grin. I burst out laughing, waving my hand in front of my face dismissively.

"No, Mr. Tremont. Nathaniel doesn't have a mean streak in his body, plus he's far too level-headed to be Oberon," I said, hardly able to keep myself from laughing as Nathaniel looked on in complete beffudlement. Mr. Tremont frowned, scratching his chin in thought.

"Odd. Usually my analyses are spot on."

"Um, I'm Nathaniel Anderson, the student council president," Nathaniel said awkwardly.

Suddenly Mr. Tremont pointed up into Nathaniel's face while crying, "AHA! A leader of men, not fairies! How silly of me. Then you are Antony, which means that Miss Opal would be your love affair, the beautiful Cleopatra."

Nathaniel made a choking noise and then coughed while I slapped my hands to my cheeks so he wouldn't see how red they are.

"Mr. Tremont, isn't there a task you are supposed to give us?" I asked desperately and he brightened.

"Oh, yes, that's right. If you'll please follow the path to your right there are five letters that you must find. Once you have found all five, unscramble them and tell me the word which will earn you your final sticker. Make sure you go all the way to the end of the path," Mr. Tremont advised with a grin and dramatically pointed towards the path on my right. "The letters were cleverly hidden by me, so don't feel bad if you don't find them all at once."

"Thank you, Mr. Tremont," I said quickly and dashed towards the path, Nathaniel right behind me. The path took a sharp turn to the right, taking us out of sight of Mr. Tremont and I sighed loudly.

"Nathaniel, I'm sorry. Mr. Tremont is a huge Shakespeare buff; he didn't mean anything by it," I tried to explain and Nathaniel rubbed his neck, looking off to the side.

"Yah, no biggie. So... how do you think they hid letters in a forest?"

"I'm not sure. But maybe you should look to the left and I'll look to the right so that we don't miss anything?" I suggested.

"Sure, but hold onto my jacket so you don't fall behind without me noticing," Nathaniel instructed while holding his arm out slightly. I blushed and gently took the fabric in my hand.

"I'm sorry I get distracted so easily," I mumbled but Nathaniel laughed and shook his head.

"I don't mind. I just don't want to turn around and have you be off chasing another squirrel without me," he teased. I grinned sheepishly before turning my attention to the right side of the path.

We walked at a comfortable pace as I scanned the trees from top to bottom, wondering what exactly I was looking for. Suddenly Nathaniel burst out laughing and I looked over in surprise, but soon joined him. In clear view, a gigantic letter A was spelled out on a tree trunk using what looked like hot pink duct tape.

"'Cleverly hidden', huh?" Nathaniel joked, still laughing.

"I don't think we need to be worried about missing any of the letters," I gasped, trying to stop my laughter. Nathaniel shook his head in agreement.