The Silver Bow

Chapter 9

The evening was going terribly. Stan turned out to be a tall, incredibly vain boy who thought he was brilliant and Zena sat giving Beatriz the evil eye. Beatriz was blissfully unaware, and continued laughing and flirting with her boyfriend, who turned out to be just who Beatriz had said he was. Zena watched as Beatriz smiled at Halec and he drew her in for a kiss. She knew she would never find love like that; comfortable and simple.
"So......" She sighed and resisted the temptation to scream as Stan tried to make conversation yet again. "What's it like where you live?" He asked, then not waiting for her to reply he continued. "My house is huge. Biggest in town, Father says."
"Quality not quantity."said Zena under her breath with her eyebrows raised as Stan continued blathering about the furnishings.Stan looked over."Did you say something?"
"Oh no." she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just commenting how nice the food is." She turned and smiled at him, a wolfish grin that didn't reach her eyes. He continued talking about his house oblivious to her expression and Zena went back to staring angrily at Beatriz.

At the end of the dinner both couples walked outside to say goodbye to each other. They stood a little apart as Beatriz and Halec embraced once again. Suddenly, Stan wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss, keeping her arms down by her side by squeezing his arms around them. She tried to push him away but he wouldn't take no for an answer, and kept trying to reach under her shirt. She lost her temper, then had an idea. "Stan." she said imploringly, and he looked at her. She smashed her head forward into his nose and ducked as he let go, then tried to grab hold of her again with his eyes full of tears. "You think after one evening with me you stand a chance of a kiss?!?!!?!" She yelled. "You think that girls are just stupid, weak creatures who you can mess with?!?!!? Girls are not toys!!!"

She punched him hard in the stomach, then rammed her shoulder into his chest. He fell over and smacked his head on the cobbles. Zena covered her mouth as she realised he was unconscious. She looked around quickly to make sure no one had noticed, then dragged him into the stable. She found a half bottle of ale and forced a little down his throat, then poured it on his clothes. If anyone found him like this they'd think he was a drunk. After all, he would have to admit that he had been knocked out by a girl. And he wasn't going to admit to that. Zena looked down at him, covered in horse manure , with a bent nose. She smiled slightly, looking at the pathetic form that lay in front of her. It hadn't been a good night, but it could have been a lot worse.