UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 1)

“Did you see Brody out there?” one girl whispered. “He looks angry. I wonder what Savannah said to tick him off.” She pulled a giant can of aerosol hairspray out of her back pack and began to spray it all over her head.

Mina started to cough and back up from the sink.

“Didn’t you hear?” A brunette commented between mascara swipes. “They are officially over.”

“Since when?” the chunky one asked.

“Since that day when he almost died.”

“But I thought they got back together?” Aerosol girl commented.

“Only for a few hours. I heard he broke it off after school.”

“Excuse me.” Mina interrupted and all three heads snapped in her direction. Each of them appraised her and the chunky one frowned in disapproval. “Did you say that Brody is outside these doors?”

“What’s it to you? Thinking you’re going to move in now that he’s single? I can tell you right now, you’re not his type.” The dark-haired girl and the heavier girl laughed.

“Actually, I’m trying to avoid him.”

The dark-haired girl appraised her once more before she answered. “Not anymore. He was pacing outside for a few minutes, but I saw him head toward his first class.”

Mina sighed. “Thanks.” She rushed out of the bathroom and made it to her first hour class just in time for the second bell. Mina slid into her desk and Nan immediately leaned over and whispered. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?” Mina whispered back pulling out her history textbook.

“That Brody drove you to school. Are you two an item?”

Mina couldn’t believe how fast things spread in this school. “No! He gave me a ride and that’s it.”

“But I saw …” Nan started.

“Please Nan, I will tell you at lunch. I promise.”

Nan must have seen the anguish in her best friend’s eyes, because she let the subject drop. Sighing, she leaned back and looked at her brand new iPhone, a gift from a friend of the family’s after they learned she dropped it trying to help Mina and Brody. Nan’s fingers gently tapped a response to the text message she received moments ago.

Upset. Give Time.

Chapter 7

“Spill,” Nan demanded once they had taken their trays far away from prying ears. Mina had selected the table farthest table from the one Brody sat at with his friends.

>Brody smiled out of the corner of his mouth. “You sure do apologize a lot, when it’s not even your fault.”

“I’m getting your seat all wet.” She tried to use the shirt to wipe off the pools of water on the leather but he reached out and touched her hand, stopping her efforts.

“It’s just a car. It’ll dry.” He looked at Mina and her heart fluttered. He meant it, he wasn’t lying or trying to appease her. He didn’t care about the car at all.

Mina let the heat of the car soak into her bones, no wait; those were Brody’s heated seats. She was so nervous; she didn’t know what to say or where to look. Should she talk to him, look at him, ask him about his family? She couldn’t decide, so Mina did none of these things, staring quietly out the passenger window instead.

Brody cleared his throat. “You know, you’re one hard person to find.”

Mina turned to look at him. “What do you mean? You were looking for me?”

Brody cast her a quick glance before focusing on driving again. “Well, I tried to call you to apologize, but you were unlisted, and then no one I knew had your cell number.”

“I don’t have a cell phone.” Mina felt her cheeks turn pink; she must be the only girl in high school without a phone. “I’m also not friends with anyone you would know.”

Brody shrugged. “I didn’t know. So then I was going to come to your house, but again…”