Fable

  Mina jumped up from the table, her chair making a loud screech as she hugged her friend and almost knocked over Nan’s tray. Brody stood up, too, and moved down so his girlfriend could sit between him and Mina.

  “You’re back!”

  Nan turned to face Mina and completely ignored Brody. “Yeah, I’m so glad to be back and not grounded. But I don’t regret it for one minute. I have to tell you that my mom was furious and wanted to write a letter to the school, but I told her that the time fits the crime and to let it drop. Savannah might have started the fight verbally, but I took it physically where it didn’t need to go. My mom still grumbles about writing a letter to the school board, though.”

  Nan sat down between Brody and Mina, and began to move the food items around on her plate. “I was completely bored out of my mind at home this whole week. I can’t tell you all the things I concocted to keep myself busy. I had a Glee marathon, a Hello Kitty party for one, and I even attempted a Project Runway dress out of the things in our kitchen.” Nan switched to a Tim Gunn impression. “I looked fabulous…and believe it or not, I made it work.”

  Mina started laughing…hard. Even Brody and Ever were chuckling. Jared continued to swirl his spaghetti.

  Nan looked great in her jean skirt, white leggings, blue tank top, and sparkly pink nail polish, right down to her expertly fishtailed braid. Mina couldn’t help but feel slightly disheveled in her discount jeans and cute rainbow tank top, blue hoodie, and Converse shoes. At least today she’d attempted to wear blush and a light pink lip gloss. She never used to compare her appearance to Nan, but now that Brody was so near both of them again, she couldn’t help but let the comparisons ride out. She was definitely the ugly duckling.

  “Mina,” Nan interrupted her thoughts, “you look so cute today. Tell me, is it because of a guy? It is, isn’t it? Who is it?”

  Brody’s head snapped in Mina’s direction; he was obviously interested in hearing her answer, but he carefully pretended indifference as he took a swig of cola.

  “NO, there’s no guy. There’s no one.”

  “Well, there should be a guy. There should be a hundred boys lined up to date my best friend. Right, Brody?” Nan cornered him with a look.

  Brody almost choked on his drink, and after wiping his mouth on his jacket, he gave Nan a sheepish look. “Um, yeah, hundreds.” He swallowed and stared directly into Mina’s eyes.

  “Well, you should set her up on a date with one of your friends, then,” Nan said.

  “NO!” Mina and Brody cried out in unison, while Ever pumped her fist and yelled, “YES!”

  Nan started laughing, and picked up her water bottle and twisted the lid. “It’s official, Bro. Tonight…double date.”

  “Make that a triple,” Ever interrupted, looking at Jared across the table hopefully.

  Jared’s head snapped up, and he stared at the four of them in horror…once he realized what they were saying.

  Brody groaned. Mina turned beet red, Nan laughed, and Ever glared at Jared, who finally quit playing with his food and buried his head in his hands.

  Chapter 10

  “Mina, I don’t think I can go through with this,” Nan cried out, pacing back and forth in Mina’s bedroom, her long skirt swishing back and forth, her gold-toned sandals flopping on the hardwood floor.

  “Go through with what—the date?” Mina asked. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. This was the best she was going to look. She had pulled her long wavy brown hair into a side ponytail and let it trail down her left shoulder. She wore shorts, a sapphire-blue tank top, sandals, and a short tan jacket with an inside pocket, into which she’d tucked the smallest version of the Grimoire. She was no Nan or Savannah; she could never compete with them. But she thought she looked pretty good.

  “I’m scared to go on a date with Brody,” Nan admitted before crashing onto Mina’s bed and staring around the room as if she was seeing it for the first time. Well, she was, but opulence or poverty never mattered to Nan. Even when Mina lived in a run- down flat above a Chinese restaurant, Nan never cared.

  “But you two have been dating for four months. How could you be nervous?” Mina answered.

  “It’s not like you think. Our dates have consisted of mostly sitting at the lunch table the last few weeks of the school year, and a few movies. Then we went our separate ways the whole summer, and we barely talked, Mina. This whole thing moved really fast. I’m not really sure what to think of it.”

  “Why didn’t you talk to him about it?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, he woke me out of a coma with a kiss, so that means he must like me. And of course it was all really sweet the way Brody looked after me when I got out of the hospital. He pulled the chair out for me, carried my books. But we’ve only ever kissed one time after that, and I was the one who instigated it—and that was before we left for the summer. It’s been really awkward since. It’s like we’re better friends than boyfriend and girlfriend. We used to call each other every day, then it became every other day, and now once a week. I mean, it’s Friday night! Our first Friday night back together for the whole summer, so of course it means a date. But please, oh, please, Mina. I can’t go on this date alone. What if my fears are correct—what if we’re only friends?”

  Nan’s words made Mina’s spirit soar and then come crashing down in a mash-up of confusion and hurt for her friend’s plight. It was what she secretly wanted to hear, but at the same time, she would never wish for this to happen to her best friend. Oh, the mixed feelings it created, and right in the middle of her own nightmarish plot of trying to save her brother. She was so torn, but she needed to get Jared on her good side and help her cross over.

  “It will be fine,” Mina said, encouraging her. “If you need a quick escape, I’ll just dump my pop on myself, and we’ll have to go home early. How’s that?”

  Nan’s blue eyes widened in disbelief. “You would do that for me?”

  “Well, it’s a fifty-fifty shot it’s going to happen anyway tonight, so yeah, I would do that for you.”

  “Mina, you are the best friend ever!” Nan hugged Mina before they headed downstairs to wait for the rest of their troupe.

  Sara was sitting quietly in a rocking chair in the library, staring at a blank spot on the wall where a very obvious picture had previously hung. Mina knew from the size of the spot that it was where her father’s picture had been. Did Sara somehow know?

  As Nan chatted and led the way to the foyer, Mina couldn’t help but slow down to stare at her mom. Was there a difference in her? For once she wasn’t sad; she was rocking in a chair, humming to herself. Her mom was behaving strangely, and not just since Charlie had disappeared, but over the last few months. She wasn’t jumping at every noise, threatening to pick up and move across the country. She was becoming normal. The hairs on the backs of Mina’s arms rose in trepidation. What was happening to her mom? There was nothing obviously wrong, but nothing obviously right, either.

  “Mom,” Mina called, walking softly to stand by her chair. Sara was wearing an oversized gray knit sweater wrapped around her. Her brown hair had started to fall out of its bun. Something sparkled around her wrist, and Mina saw a simple charm bracelet, probably some gift they had given their mom years before and didn’t remember.

  Sara’s rocking stopped, and with it her humming. “Yes, dear?”

  “I’m leaving to go out with my friends. Are you going to be okay?”

  Sara began rocking again. “Oh, yes, I’m thinking of all the rooms in this house that need to be cleaned. I think I’m going to start with that storage room you found.”

  “No, not that one! It’s just junk in there. Why don’t you take the closets on the other side of the house? When I have time, I’ll work in there.”

  “That would be nice. What a sweet daughter I have,” she intoned, and stared at the wall. “I wish I could have had more kids like you.”

  Mina stepped away from her mom, tears starting to build in her eyes.
br />   “Mom, you did. Don’t you remember Charlie?” Mina had been unable to tell her mother about the deal she’d made with Temple, for fear of getting another of the accusing looks Sara had bestowed upon Mina after the fire. It was obvious that Sara, even though she didn’t mean to, still blamed her daughter. What would happen if Mina were unable to save Charlie? What would her mom think of her then?

  Sara stopped rocking once more. “Charlie? That’s a nice name. If I ever have a boy, I’ll think I’ll name him Charlie.”

  “Mom, you do have a son named Charlie. Charlie’s nine years old now. Remember?”

  “Hmm.” Sara closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  Nan grabbed Mina’s arm and pulled her out of the room. “Mina, give her time. It will be okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Not really, but she’s been through a lot, and she could be having a memory lapse. I’d say check on her when we get home, and if you want, I can have Robert come over and take a look at your mom.”

  Mina had momentarily forgotten that Nan’s mom had gotten married over the summer to Dr. Robert Martin. That was all the reassurance she needed. She didn’t know what she would do if Sara went to the hospital and she was left in the house all alone.

  “I guess a few hours will be fine. I would hate to take her to the hospital if it’s just a short spell.” The words hung in the air, and Mina’s mind began to whirl with possibilities. She didn’t have time to continue the thought further, because the silver box buzzed.

  She ran to the box and hit the green button. “Hello?”

  Static, and then she could hear two voices arguing in the background. “Why in the world are we pushing the button?” She recognized Ever’s voice.

  “Because that’s the way they do it,” Jared’s voice argued back.

  “Well, we are not like them. You’re a prince. Just wave your hand and—”

  Mina quickly pushed the “open” button for the driveway gate, hoping to cut off Ever and Jared’s Fae magic conversation before Nan overheard.

  A few seconds later, Jared pulled up in an orange 1969 Ford Boss 429 Mustang, which she knew was really Fae magic at work. Another car came up the driveway, and Mina was surprised to see Brody’s new car he’d gotten after the accident, a black Escalade. The driver’s window rolled down, and Brody leaned his head out the window. “You ladies ready?”

  Nan smiled widely but gripped Mina’s hand nervously. “You bet.”

  Mina tried to crane her neck to see who was in the car with Brody, but she couldn’t see who the passenger was. A second later, the other door opened, and someone stepped out. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with copper-colored hair and warm hazel eyes. He wore jeans, a white polo shirt, and a jacket. Mina scanned her memory of her high school yearbook and couldn’t place him anywhere. He was cute, that was for sure, and her heart did a small nervous flutter of anticipation. Now it was Mina’s turn to grip Nan’s hand really hard.

  Brody hopped out of the driver’s seat, walked over to Nan, and put an arm around her shoulders. “Hey, Mina, this is Reid Stone.”

  “Nice to meet you, Mina,” Reid announced.

  Her head snapped up, and she responded softly, “Nice to meet you, too. You don’t go to Kennedy, do you?”

  “No, I actually know Brody through a mutual friend of ours.”

  “Oh,” she said sadly, wondering if Brody had been unable to find anyone from their own school who would actually go on a date with her.

  “Wow, Brody. You forgot to tell me that she was so cute.” Reid punched his friend in the shoulder.

  Brody frowned, and he was visibly grinding his teeth. “Didn’t I?”

  Jared never got out of the car, and revved the engine irritably in response to their chitchat. “Let’s get this over with. Unless you want to hit the nine o’clock showing of Death Pledge, we need to get going.”

  Mina hurried over. Reid opened the rear door for her and she slid into the car, her skin slightly catching on the leather seats. Reid slid in after her and turned so he could face her in the seat.

  “So, Mina, tell me about yourself.”

  She felt uncomfortable, nervous, and she felt like she was going to be sick. She watched Nan jump into the front seat with Brody, and she looked just as nervous, even more so. Maybe the two of them were not meant to date…ever. Neither one of them had any luck so far keeping the guys they really wanted.

  “Um, let’s see. I’m a junior at Kennedy High, and I like…” She blanked. Completely blanked. In that second she realized how utterly boring and plain she was. Anything even remotely interesting wasn’t something that she could come right out and say. I chase down fairy-tale villains in my spare time and entrap them in my magic book. Yeah, she couldn’t say that. “…I like my family and kids and animals.”

  Nan turned around and made a disgusted noise at her. “You sound like you’re being interviewed for Miss America. Here, let me help. She’s artistic, one of the best in her advanced art class. Her pencil sketches, if you can ever get her to show them to you, are phenomenal, along with her pastels. She likes to read, but not that smutty stuff—classics, and books that have depth to them. She remembers everything someone tells her and has a knack for finding the good in everyone.”

  Brody looked back at her through the rearview mirror. “And she kills at flag football. Don’t let her fool you. She’s got some fight in her.”

  Mina blushed, and Reid laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

  Because Nan was a great icebreaker, the drive to the movie theater went by fast. She learned that Reid was the youngest of five brothers. His family was all lawyers, of a sort, and that he was lined up to work in the family business when he was done with school. He liked working with metals, welding and sculpting.

  She felt herself smiling and laughing at Reid. When they arrived at AMC Theaters, she was prepared to buy her own ticket, but Reid wouldn’t let her. He bought both of their tickets, two drinks, and a large popcorn. She was secretly relieved that this date was actually going well.

  Jared grudgingly paid for Ever’s ticket and her box of Sour Patch Kids. Ever flipped out and began to dance around in excitement when she saw that the theater also sold packages of Pixie Stix.

  Nan ran ahead to the theater, then came back and announced that the theater was packed and that they would have to split up. Mina bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making a terrified face, but they all filed into the darkened room and tried to find seats that weren’t so close they would have neck aches from looking straight up.

  Brody and Nan found seats a few rows in front of them and to their left. Jared and Ever ended up in the very back row. Mina and Reid found seats on the right side of the theater, next to an overly large man with a beard and glasses who had enough popcorn and snacks to last for three movies. Most of the teens had their phones out and were texting or tweeting while they waited for the movie to start. Reid leaned back and stretched out his long legs in front of him, and stared at her thoughtfully.

  “So I see you’re not that fond of texting,” Mina said, after noticing that he hadn’t pulled out a cell phone, either.

  “Nah, don’t see what the big deal is about those things.”

  It was an odd choice of words, and Mina meant to ask him about it when the lights dimmed and the previews started, which ninety percent of them turned out to be commercials for Toyotas, Coca-Cola, and “please turn off your cell phone” warnings.

  The movie finally began, and Mina had to squint when the 3D effects started. The red and blue lines made her dizzy, so she reached over and held out her hand to Reid expectantly.

  He looked at the screen, completely baffled, and his face was scrunched up in disgust.

  “Uh, the glasses,” Mina teased him.

  “What?” He looked irritated.

  “The 3D glasses they gave you when you bought the tickets.”

  “Oh, those.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two pairs of plastic g
lasses and handed one of them to Mina. He watched her put them on and mimicked her. “Ah, that’s better.” He smiled and settled in to watch the movie.

  He sure was an odd one, she thought to herself, but quickly forgot as the first action scene filled the screen. A girl was running and being chased by a man through dark back alleys. The scene was very similar to her own life and made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Reid leaned forward and jumped when the action scene intensified. He seemed unprepared for the 3D effects. She reached forward to take a handful of popcorn, and he reluctantly moved the bucket closer to her.

  Gee, maybe she’d spoken too soon about a good date. It seemed like as soon as they split from the group, he dropped the façade. He was acting as if he was more interested in the movie than her. She should have expected that, and been prepared. If she were smart, she would have slipped a book in with her, which she had done in the past, and turned around in her seat and read by the light of the movie screen when the movie was something dumb.

  Her eyes kept drifting to watch Brody and Nan. They weren’t holding hands, and neither one of them were leaning into each other. Oh, wait. Nan just jumped, and Brody put his arm around her shoulders. She watched as Nan leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Brody whispered something back, and when he turned he caught Mina’s stare. His smile faltered, and Mina felt the need to do something daring. She leaned in and snuggled into Reid’s shoulder. Reid looked surprised, but then he raised his arm and put it around her. Brody frowned and turned around.

  After a while, she forgot about Reid, Brody, and even Jared as she became engrossed in the story unfolding before her. It was intense, about an orphaned young girl whose brother was kidnapped and held hostage. If she didn’t assassinate the President, then they would kill her brother.

  Mina reached her hand into the almost empty popcorn tub and realized it was starting to taste odd—like pennies. She watched as Reid’s hand reached in and pulled out a few handfuls, and ate them without noticing the taste. She pulled the bucket out of his hands and looked into it. The popcorn had turned brown. He reached in for another handful, but she slapped his hand away.