Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Jaelyn's wide, intelligent green eyes watched the large double doors to the living room steadily. They towered over her small 6 year old body, but the young child was not intimidated by its size. More intrigued at how something of such magnitude over her could seem so beautiful with its intricate engravings.

The boy her father had sent was coming soon. She was to like him.

It was her intention to do the very opposite, just to keep her rebellious spirit aflame. She didn't exactly know what this boy was doing, why he even wanted to see her- but it didn't matter. As soon as he walked through those doors, which if he was punctual would be any second now (her gaze flickered to the clock at this thought) her sole mission was to hate him.

Easy enough, she supposed.

Loki looked up at his father before lightly ruffling his hair. He didn't understand why it had to be all neat and tidy. He was just going to meet a girl. He hoped she was pretty. His father had told him this was the one he was to marry. Marriage though was something he never wanted. He could never marry a girl!

He was led through the house into a room where he knew she would be waiting. As soon as he spotted her he couldn't help but look at her curiously. "Hello." He said before he turned to watch their fathers leaving them together.

"Phew!" He said messing up his hair and restyling it to how he liked it. "My names Loki." He smiled.

Jaelyn appraised him silently. He looked like that two dimensional character from her mother's fairytale book. Prince of some imaginary place in a book. She tilted her head at him and after a long, thoughtful pause, gave a slow approving nod.

"It looks better that way." she remarked, strangely fluent for a girl of her age.

Jaelyn's mouth twitched slightly- the only sign of any smile and nodded again. "Jaelyn. Jaelyn Morozov." she walked towards him and offered her small hand for him to shake.

He smiled. "Thanks, my father seems to think it looks better before but i like it like this." He said taking her hand. "That's a pretty name." He said as he walked off to look out the window. "Woah! Can we go outside?" He asked taking in the outside. The green grass was calling his name. Just waiting for him to trample across it.

The girl gave a quick, sharp nod. "It does look a lot nicer." she confirmed, concentrating on his hair now. She admitted to herself that it looked good. Her fingers played absently with the tips of her blonde locks, suddenly conscious of them.

Jaelyn frowned slightly. "Thank you." What was with these compliments? It was hard not to like him when he did that. She scowled faintly and crossed her arms over her torso. Silly boy was making things difficult.

She shrugged and instead of letting go of the handshake, tugged him towards the door that would lead them outside. Her face visibly softened as a gust of crisp, cold wind swirled around her. Jaelyn turned to Loki, eyes questioning and expectant.

"Do you like it?" she asked, facing the garden again. It was a large area of land, perhaps half the size of the manor itself, and the green grass stretched into the distance. A few dull, grey fountains were scattered across the landscape, but the silver water in them glimmered in the sunlight.

This was her special place.

"Thank you." He smiled, but his eyes were elsewhere now. Now he'd seen the garden he couldn't help but stare at its beauty. Loki had always been the outdoor type, no one could keep him in doors for long. His smile widened as she opened the doors.

"I wanna... but father might get mad." He frowned looking over his shoulder to the door their father have left. "Nevermind. I'll race you to the fountain." He smiled before running off as fast as he could towards the fountain he'd pointed to. Once there he looked back at the house to make sure no one was looking, then placed his hand through the water running down.

Jaelyn was studying the subtle sway of the grass as he was speaking, not entirely paying attention- and it was only after he sprinted ahead of her that she realised she had been challenged to a race. Baffled for a split second, Jaelyn's mouth widened into a little gap toothed smile and she sped across the grass as fast as her small legs would carry her. Her white cardigan fell as she zipped towards the fountain, and the child laughed quietly at the thrill of running. She arrived about two seconds after Loki to the finish point, a little out of breath but trying hard not to show it.

"Not fair." Jaelyn pouted. "I didn't know we were racing. And you're bigger than me!" she said defensively, evidently displeased with the outcome of the race.

Perching herself on the edge of the fountain, she swung her legs back and forth, watching her feet in their gold sandals.

"Why are we here, Loki?" Her large, inquisitive green eyes rose to him again.

He laughed. "I win! Doesn't matter im still the winner and you're the loser." He smiled jumping around the fountain. "Just face it im faster. It's okay to lose." Once he'd ran around the fountain a few times he jumped up onto the fountain beside her.

He shrugged. "Father told me to be nice to you." He said trailing his fingers along the water in the fountain.

"Morozovs don't lose!" Jaelyn insisted. One minute he was being nice, the next he was being silly! There was only one thing she could conclude from this- boys were stupid. And she didn't like to mix with stupid people. "You're so not faster." she rose her chin proudly. "If we did a rematch, I would win."

"Well if he said be nice, why are you being silly?" she frowned. Loki clearly had no sense. "It's a good thing you have nice hair, Loki, or I wouldn't like you as much." Jaelyn stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"They do when they are against the Ryders." He smiled. "Besides you're a girl. Girls can't out run boys." He said his face showing how he genuinely believe that. "No you wouldn't! I am too fast for you. Just like im taller than you."

"Im not being silly. It's not my fault im faster." He said sticking his tongue out and going to walk around the fountain. A little laugh escaped his lips as she mentioned his hair. It had always been something his mother always hated, it was one of the reasons he loved it so much.

"Yeah well..." He said struggling to think of a come back.

"No, no they don't." Jaelyn continued to say, stubborn as ever. But he had just won a race. It could not get out that a Morozov had been defeated- Father had drilled that into her at a young age, and if he were to find out...Merlin, six beatings in one day would be a record. She pointed a finger directly in the middle of his chest.

"Do. Not. Tell. Anyone." the girl warned darkly. She was already annoyed that this little meeting with Loki had forced her into a dress- a beating would just push her over the edge. Jaelyn didn't want to have to clean up after one of her magical tantrums, either.

She grinned proudly, immediately jumping on the fact he had no comeback. "Looks like I won that competition, though." Jaelyn teased. "The insult competition." she laughed.

"I think i just proved they do." He said sticking his tongue out at her. "Theres no need to cry like a little girl. Boys will always win so there." He looked up at the house to see if his father was watching before plunging his hand into the fountain to retrieve a stone. It was a pretty cool one and he wanted it.

"I won't! As long as you tell my father i was nice." He didn't want his father to get mad at him. He'd already been warned to make the girl like him and he'd already ruined that one. His father would kill him if he found out.

"Did not!" He frowned. "There was no insult competition! You just made that up and that's cheating."

Jaelyn narrowed her eyes at the boy, deciding she was irritated. He was almost as stubborn as she was. Almost.

Jutting her chin out into the air, she shook her head obstinately and wrinkled her nose slightly as he stuck out his tongue. "They don't lose. And you're the one that cheated. Calling a race before I even knew." she grumbled lowly. "Mother said that you Ryders were trouble."

She scoffed. "I don't cry. I make other people cry, not the other way round." she said, crossing her arms over her torso defensively. "Boys will always win unless they're bad." She smiled to herself. "Or if they're against me."

"Fine. Deal. You were really nice and I didn't lose." Jaelyn nodded. Good deal. At least he was sort of smart, from what she could tell.

"Well fine- try and beat me at it." she said, standing up, eyes daring.

"I told you it was a race before we began. You Morozovs are the only ones that need to cheat cause you always lose!" He smiled throwing the stone across the garden, he no longer needed it.

"No you will always lose! Cause you're a loser." He stated as if it was a well known fact. Folding his own arms across his chest to mimic her.

"Fine!" He glared back, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Two seconds before we began, Merlin." Jaelyn sneered. Boys were difficult- why did they insist on disagreeing with her when it was so obvious she was right? Maybe they were more stupid than girls. Jaelyn nodded to herself- it was the only conclusion that seemed logical, so far.

"I'm not a loser!" she shouted at him, fighting the urge to push him. It wasn't working very well. "I'm a winner." she stated in an attempt to have the last word.

"Well go on then. Try and insult me, Ryder!" she grinned. There was no way that he would beat her at this.

He rolled his eyes. "Well you should think faster then shouldn't you? If you're supposed to be so smart." He retorted jumping down from the fountain, he didn't feel like sitting any longer.

"Then why did you just lose loser?" He smirked sticking his tongue out at her. Maybe this wouldn't be so back after all. He'd expected to have been bored out of his mind, but he was having fun winding her up.

He thought about it for a second before opening his mouth and saying the first thing that came to his mind. "You smell!"

Jaelyn fumed silently, unable to think of a proper comeback. He had the advantage, he was older. That was why. No other reason. "I am smart. I just wasn't listening to you because you were boring." she remarked, though it wasn't the truth. He didn't need to know that, though.

"I didn't lose!" she screeched, and before the young girl could stop herself, she shoved the boy hard in his chest with her two small hands.

"I don't smell as bad as you!" Jaelyn grumbled.

He. Was. So.

...Killable.

Was that a word? She frowned to herself, momentarily distracted.

"Not as boring as you! This water is the only thing keeping me awake!" He lied. "I'd have fallen asleep the moment you opened you mouth without it." He said and as if to prove his point he yawned, clapping a hand over his mouth dramatically.

"I think you did, seeing as i reached the fountain first. Anyone with eyes saw it!" He pointed out. "Not even a stupid Morozov can deny that!"

"Oh great come back." He rolled his eyes. "I make that 2-0 to me."

"Oh really?!" Jaelyn said, secretly enjoying herself. It was always fun to argue- particularly when she knew she was right. "Well, I hope you enjoy this then!" she said, skimming a hand over the water quickly and flicking it towards him. "Refreshed now?" she snickered.

Jaelyn scoffed again. "There are no stupid Morozovs." Narrowing her eyes at him, she replied, "It was a perfectly good come back, and it's one all. " she insisted.

The young girl paused for a long moment. "Okay. Fine." she sighed, brushing a bit of hair away from her face. "You're not stupid." she decided out loud.