Temporary Goddess

Badger the Tiny Human

            I rounded the corner and slammed my body into the double doors as hard as I could. Trying to get outside and away from the very angry Demi God before he took my face out. I glanced back over my shoulder and saw him nearly directly behind me, and with a grunt he shoved the hell out of me. Knowing full well I was going to lose all balance, I braced for the ground to meet me roughly. But then, something caught my body. And I knew exactly what, well, who it was.

                That terrifying, yet calm feeling washed over me. I let out a deep breath of relief. “Oh, thank everything. You are an amazing man you know that, Mr. Bad Wolf?”

                Jacek rolled his eyes. “You’re just saying that because I saved your ass, again.”

                “Come now, you know you like saving my sorry ass.” I winked up at him. “Gives you something to do.”

                He sighed. “Yeah, because I have nothing better to do, dolcezza.”

                Gunner ground his teeth as he heard us talk back and forth. “Interrupted by this s**t head again?”

                My nose crinkled. “Pot calling the kettle?”

                “What the hell are you doing, Gunner?” Jacek set my feet on the ground before glaring over to the Demi God.

                “I’m just having a little fun with the human, Jacek.” Gunner said as he held out a hand. “Just hand my over and I will be out of your hair.”

                Jacek looked down to me, and for a moment I swore he was debating on it. He watched my eyes narrow as I huffed.

                “Seriously? You actually had to think about it?” I rolled my eyes.

                Jacek shrugged. “Go away, Gunner.”

                He shook his head. “You’re seriously going to protect this human girl? For what? You never do anything for anyone, what the hell makes her any different?”

                “He’s been doing this for like ten minutes now, telling everyone about you. He thinks he knows you oh so well.” I glanced up to a very irritated Jacek.

                Jacek sighed. “Everyone always assumed they know exactly who I am. I’m used to it.”

                “Well, I’m not.” I scoffed my annoyance. “Thanks for catching me back there, but I don’t want to get you anymore involved. So, I’ll see you around, Mr. Bad Wolf.”

                He nearly looked shocked as I winked at him and started walking towards Gunner. This was his ‘out’ and I was handing it over on a silver platter. All he had to do was walk away, and he wouldn’t have to lift another finger.

                “That’s a good girl.” Gunner said as he reached out to snatch me by my arm roughly. “This time, I’ll make sure you know your place in the food chain, human. Don’t you know how easy your bones break?”

                Before he got two steps, something smashed into the side of him, sending him flying into the adjacent wall and leaving me standing there with a confused expression on my beautiful face. I looked up and couldn’t help myself. I bit down on my bottom lip, noticing a familiar arm snaked around my waist.

                “What are you doing?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

                Jacek sighed. “I don’t even know anymore.”

                I chuckled a little. “Well, I do appreciate you, Mr. Bad Wolf. I really didn’t want to die today.”

                “I won’t let that happen.” He said as his eyes went over to Gunner. “Leave the human alone, Gunner.”

                With a groan, Gunner stumbled onto his feet. “This is really starting to piss me off. What the hell is so different about her?!”

                Suddenly, Gwyneth was in the courtyard with us as she simply moved through the wall. “It’s called humanity, stupid.”

                I smiled a little. “Ah, good to see you, Gwyneth. Man, it’s so cool you can just like morph through the walls like that. Makes my little heart happy.”

                Jacek shook his head. “Please focus on the angry Demi God in front of us, dolcezza.”

                “Oh yeah.” I nodded and glance back over to Gunner. “Wait, why is he still here? Didn’t you just toss him into the school?”

                He shrugged. “He’s durable.”

                Gunner huffed. “I don’t get it. You’ve never even talked before, and now you’re having full conversations with this human girl? Cairyn’s not really human, is she?”

                “Cairyn is human, Gunner. Your just too stupid to get it through your head that she doesn’t like you.” Gwyneth said, rolling her eyes.

                I sighed. “I feel like we’re talking to a sack of potatoes.”

                “Potatoes?” Jacek raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at me.

                I shrugged. “His head reminds me of a potato.”

                “Bloody hell, dolcezza.” He said as he shook his head.

                “You’re going to regret this. You can’t be around her forever, Jacek. And you, don’t go far from your safety net. You might get eaten.” Gunner growled as he stormed off.

                I sighed. Rubbing my face out of exhaustion. “Man, this is a bunch of crap. I was trying to go completely unnoticed until the school year was over. This is not what I had in mind at all.”

                Jacek yawned. “If you get into trouble again, just call for me.”

                With that, he interlocked his hands behind his head and headed out. Right before he disappeared though, I whistled, catching his attention.

                “Thank you. Again.” I said in nearly a whisper, unsure if he would even hear me.

                Anytime, dolcezza.

                My lips curled into a smile. Jacek put his sentence into my mind, and it made me absolutely sure of one thing. That man, he was more powerful than anyone here could imagine.

                Fourth period was Advanced Chemistry which was boring, but at least I had Casey and Gwyneth in the class with me. It surprised me to know that Casey and Gwyneth were not friends prior to them coming together over myself. Apparently, the talk was true. Derek and Casey were outcasts, Gwyneth was a popular loner and I united them all together, including the illusive Jacek. While deep in thought I didn’t notice that I had a pair of eyes on me.

                For a while I thought about Jacek. Wondering if he could hear my thoughts as well as planting his own inside my head. Then I wondered if it was only myself or if he could do this with anyone, but something in the back of my mind told me that he wouldn’t do it with just anyone. Actually, I bet that Jacek would hardly do anything with anyone. There was something about him that interested me, maybe it was everything about him. The way he walked with pride in each step he took, the look in his light hazel eyes as he observed everything around him, the air around him even seemed magnetic. It made me want to know more about him, about why he ignored everyone in the world and then suddenly decided to get involved with me. All the people I had encountered said he never spoke to anyone unless he had to, even the people he had been around for years. So, then why talk to me? Why even look in my direction or stop some asshole from messing with me when I was a complete stranger?

                Deep in thought, I never even noticed Gwyneth and Casey talking only a few seats away from me.

                At the end of the class, out in the hall, the three of us walked together.

                “Your next class is up here, Cairyn. It’s our only art class in the school.” Casey said as he smiled.

                Gwyneth rolled her eyes. “Mr. Tipper has a voice that could put a strung-out coke-head to sleep. I have him for second period and it’s absolutely miserable.”

                “You’re the human going around causing trouble, right?”

                Shocked all three of us looked over to see a tall, very strongly build man with light blond hair and deep mahogany eyes standing a foot or two away from me. His handsome face was unreadable as he locked onto my misty grey irises. Confused, yet unafraid I took a step away from my friends who were now on edge.

                “Yeah, although it seems all you non-humans are the ones causing trouble. Can I help you with something?” I asked as I crossed my arms defensively, watching him for any sign of what he was doing talking to me.

                He tilted his head to the side, observing me the same way. “Your prettier than I would have imagined for a human.”

                “Wow, that was the weirdest time for a complement.” I huffed. “Again, what are you do you want from me?”

                Casey swallowed hard as he put his hands up. “Dude, there’s no need for this. Leave her alone, Torrance.”

                Gwyneth nodded. “Yeah, we’ve all got to be getting to class. Torrance…”

                I never broke eye contact with the guy they were calling Torrance. For some reason, I felt like if I did, something bad was going to happen. “I’m only going to ask one more time. What the hell do you want?”

                “I want you to tell me how you got into this school. There is no way a human can just waltz in here. Who are you?” He said calmly as he closed the space between us.

                With a deep breath in my lungs, I held my head high and glared him down. “I walked in here.”

                Torrance huffed. “You’re going to have to lie better than that, or I can’t guarantee what’s going to happen next.”

                “She’s not lying. Derek and me were with her when Cairyn came through the gate. She walked through it like everyone does. Nothing happened.” Casey reassured, but it didn’t look like it did much good.

                Torrance shook his head and reached out to grab me.

                “Jacek…” I whispered as I tried to recoil back.

                Like a frightening distortion of reality, Jacek was suddenly in between me and Torrance with an irritated look in his bright hazel eyes. He glanced over his shoulder at me before focusing his full attention on Torrance.

                “Why must everyone badger the small human today?” He said, rolling his head on his neck like he had been asleep for ages.

                Casey took a step back. “Torrance ambushed us taking Cairyn to class.”

                Torrance huffed, a small smirk appeared on his face. “You never cease to amaze, Jacek. Who knew you could materialize like that? Looks like we get to see more of what you can actually do, now that there is a human here you are protecting.”

                “Think what you want.” Jacek said as he gestured for me to go to the classroom. “Go.”

                I tried to keep myself from grinding my teeth as I headed to the doorway. “Are you sure?”

                “Torrance is not like Gunner, Cairyn. Please, get inside the room.” Gwyneth said as she never looked away from the two power houses in front of us.

                He scoffed. “So, all three of you are going to keep her from me then?”

                “That was the idea at least.” Casey said as he held his head, trying to repress his fear.

                “Gunner wants the human too?” Torrance asked as he raised an eyebrow. “That girl is sure building a list of enemies on her first day. Vivian told me that she tried to fry the girl, and then suddenly the reclusive Jacek came to her rescue. And with you being here now, I can see that she wasn’t lying. This, makes me much more interested in that little feisty one.”

                Gwyneth shook her head. “Why are you even here Torrance? Didn’t you graduate two years ago?”

                He shrugged. “I’m not a student. I’m here as your new Physical Ed teacher, starting today. So, that’s Coach Dagon to you little Sol. I’ll see all of you in class. I’m most excited to see how the rest of this year plays out.  So, glad I came back to this hell hole.”

                Torrance winked at all us before turning on his heels and heading down the hall and disappearing around the corner. Everyone seemed to let out a breath of air as he was gone, everyone except Jacek. He turned to face me.

                “Stay away from him, dolcezza.” He said with a serious expression on his handsome face.

                I nodded. “Sure.”

                Jacek turned and left, following down the same corridor as Torrance. Gwyneth swallowed hard before smiling back at me.

                “Don’t worry, we’ve got you.” She said then headed down the hall too.

                Casey nodded as he followed her. “We won’t let anything happen to you, Cairyn.”

                When they were gone, I let out a slow breath. “It’s not me I’m worried about…”