Experimental Magic ✔

Our Little Secret

Misty's heart froze as a chill shot through her body. Scottie could feel the goosebumps on her skin underneath his fingertips and her heart thump against his chest. She was nervous. 

"What?" Misty uttered to herself. 

Scottie held her for a second longer before he let out a laugh, dropped her arm and walked away, leaving Misty completely stunned. Her mind raced as she tried to sort through all the thoughts and emotions that were running in her head. Part of her wanted to believe that he was lying in order to get a reaction out of her. There was no one else in that hallway that night. She was sure of it. She never would have taken that chance if she thought someone would see. Especially if that someone was Scottie Derringer. He had to be lying. 

The more Misty thought about it, the more it made sense. If Scottie really did know something, he wouldn't have kept it a secret. He would have ran straight to his grandfather. The mistake Misty made was exactly the ammunition they needed to destroy her. If what Scottie was saying was true, he had a loaded gun. And if she knew anything about the Derringer family, they wouldn't hesitate to shoot.

Still, Misty couldn't shake the voice in her head that said, "but what if he's telling the truth?" 

"Wait," Misty urged as she chased after him.

This time it was her who grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Scottie smiled to himself and let her spin him back around. He reveled in his ability to make her chase after him for once. He knew she'd come running. 

"Oh, now you want to talk?" Scottie teased. "Two seconds ago you couldn't wait to get rid of me."

Misty's annoyance grew as his lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk. She couldn't believe the audacity he had to treat this like it was a game. This was her life.   

"You don't get to accuse me of something and then walk away," Misty said. 

Scottie's smirk spread into a full-fledged smile as he let out another laugh. 

"Don't kid yourself, sweetheart," he said. "It wasn't an accusation. An accusation implies innocence. And we both know you're far from innocent." 

Misty crossed her arms and looked him straight in the eyes. Until he explicitly stated what she did wrong and proved that she had done it, she wasn't going to admit to anything. 

"What exactly am I guilty of?" Misty challenged, hoping to call his bluff. 

Scottie raised his eyebrows and looked around at the people walking past. Their conversation had drawn the attention of the passersby. Heads turned and whispered were exchanged at the sight of the unlikely pairing. He found their fascination and rubber-necking amusing, but he doubted Misty felt the same way. 

"There's a lot of people around," Scottie said. "You sure you want me to say it here?" 

Misty squinted her eyes at him and shook her head. His unwillingness to answer her confirmed her suspicions. He was full of shit. 

"I knew it," Misty said. "You don't have anything."

Scottie scoffed. At first he didn't say a word. He just looked her over and smiled in amusement. Misty didn't know exactly what was happening, but the look on his face was making her incredibly uneasy. Her uneasiness was amplified when he stepped closer to her, bringing his face inches from hers. He placed his hands on either side of her face and gently tilted it upwards so her eyes met his. He looked at her with such intensity, it caused her stomach to flip. She had no idea what to expect next and the suspense was killing her. 

"Wanna bet?" He breathed out.  

After he spoke, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Any traces of his hazel-green irises were gone, leaving only the bright whites of his eyes. His hands shook as he spoke in tongues under his breath. Within seconds, Misty's eyes quickly shut and her mind was thrown inside itself. The vision she saw was crisp and clear. The entirety of the night's event tore through her head like a tornado. Scottie played back every moment with terrifying accuracy. 

When she saw all he needed her to see, Misty was thrown back into reality. The air was sucked out of her lungs, causing her to take a deep, sharp inhale as she snapped back. 

"Believe me now?" He asked with a smile. 

Misty recoiled backwards and threw his hands away from her. Her heart raced with a mix of shock and anger. Her breathing was heavy as she tried to catch her breath. There was no hiding now. He knew everything.

Scottie grinned in satisfaction as she struggled to find the words to express herself. A million questions and emotions swirled through her head making her feel nauseous and unsteady. Everything she worked for flashed before her eyes. In an instant, it could all be gone. All Scottie had to do was say the word. 

"Who else knows?" Misty choked out. 

In that moment, it was all she could think of. Paranoia set in. If Scottie saw without her knowing, who's to say there weren't more eyes on her that night. For all she knew the entire Assembly could have watched her blatant disobedience and she would have been none the wiser. Maybe Scottie hadn't even seen it himself. Maybe he was the messenger and they were waiting around the corner, getting ready to pounce. 

"No one but you and me," Scottie said. "It's our little secret."

Misty's ears perked as a mixture of relief and hope washed over her. The phrase our little secret played over again in her head. She knew she shouldn't have, but she put all her faith into that one simple phrase. It was the only chance she had. 

"Secret?" She questioned eagerly, her hopefulness apparent. "As in, you won't tell anyone?"

"Well..." Scottie countered. 

He could see the yearning in her eyes. The yearning for a promise. For secrecy. He half smiled, for she was only half right. It was true that he wasn't planning on telling anyone. But his discretion was entirely conditional.  

"That depends on you," he said. 

Misty's face fell. That tiny sliver of hope she had was quickly dashed. She was disappointed and angry at herself for being naive enough to believe there wouldn't be strings attached. It was so obvious to her now. Of course Scottie wouldn't go straight to his grandfather. How else would he hold it over her head?

"What do you want?" Misty spat angrily. 

Scottie held Misty's stare without saying a word. Their eyes stayed locked, neither of them blinking. The moment persisted, but Scottie was the first to look away. His eyes turned towards the clock on the wall. He watched the seconds tick by one by one. His friends were expecting him in the auditorium ten minutes ago. They were probably wondering where he was. 

"Look, I got somewhere I gotta be," Scottie said. "Meet me in the courtyard at lunch. We'll talk then." 

Without any further explanation, Scottie tucked his hands in his pockets and walked away. This time Misty let him go without a fight. As anxious as it made her to be left wondering, she wasn't sure she was ready to hear his conditions.