Fairest (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 2)

Chapter 2

“Earth to Mina! Yoo-hoo!”

“Hmm?” Mina lifted her head from its perch on the stack of books splayed across her school desk to gape at Nan.

She hadn’t heard a word her best friend had spoken in the last few minutes because she’d been staring out the school window toward the aquatics building. Any minute now he would be walking out of that particular grey building with the rest of his water polo team. She was wishing, -hoping-no praying for a chance to catch a glimpse of him. Every day it was the same: she would wait here, stare out the window, watch him walk by and hope he would turn in her direction and smile at her the way he used to. Well, not every day, just each day she had detention. And because of the narrow-minded, unforgiving Mrs. Porter, she had detention again today.

Nan spoke again.

“I’m sorry. What did you say?” Mina asked lamely, resting her head on her hand. She’d been too exhausted with her Grimm tasks and her hopeless crush on Brody to be an attentive friend lately.

“I don’t understand what has come over you these last few weeks? You’re mentally preoccupied; you’re never home; and you’ve been really secretive. If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re seeing someone. Hey, now that I think about it, you have been avoiding that new kid, Jared, like the plague.” Nan squealed in delight, her golden hair bouncing with each head bob. “It’s him isn’t it?”

Nan looked striking today in her cute skinny jeans, trendy boat shoes, sparkly blue nails, light blue band t-shirt and fedora hat. She was simply the loveliest girl in school and only had detention because of her insane habit of constantly using her phone in class. She slid onto the desk opposite Mina and leaned over, cutting off Mina’s view of outside.

Mina frowned and leaned farther out of her chair. Nan mimicked her movement and leaned with her. When Mina didn’t respond, Nan reached over and playfully tugged on Mina’s brown hair.

“Ouch, Nan!” Mina grumbled and swatted at her friend’s hand.

“Nan, what? Tell me what’s going through that square noggin of yours?”

“My head is not square.”

“No, but you sure are becoming one. You used to be a lot more fun. Tell me, is it Charlie?” Nan crossed her legs and arms trying to hide her worry. Her foot wiggled back and forth nervously.

“No, it’s not Charlie. He’s fine.”

Nan sighed in relief but then quickly asked, “Is it Sara?”

“No, Nan, it’s not my mom!” Mina leaned back into her chair in a moment of frustration.

“Well then, what is it? I give up. I will give you my favorite CD. No wait, my favorite pair of shoes if you tell me. No, wait. I’ll let you borrow my favorite pair of shoes.” Nan gave her an unconvincing smile.

Mina didn’t hear the rest of Nan’s attempt at bartering because the person she’d been waiting for appeared. Brody Carmichael rounded the corner with his gym bag slung over his shoulder. Mina’s breath caught in her throat and she forgot everything, even where she was.

There he was: perfection. Tan skin, square jaw, blue twinkling eyes, and blonde hair that curled slightly since it was still wet from the pool. Brody threw his head back and laughed at something his friend T.J. said.

Mina’s heart began to break all over again. Someone called out to the boys, and they turned expectantly and waited.

A girl of equal perfection, in a cheerleader uniform, ran up to greet them. Her naturally curled ponytail swaying side to side, and Mina had the distinct urge to take scissors to the offending blonde plait. Mina had no choice but to watch the exchange between them with narrowed eyes. It was obvious by the way Brody’s mouth turned down that he was beginning to lose patience with the girl. Mina wanted to scream encouragement through the glass and across the courtyard toward Brody. Apparently, the conversation was over because Savannah White flounced away smiling like a Cheshire cat. Brody’s shoulders were tense when he spoke to T.J.

Mina didn’t know it but sometime during Brody and Savannah’s discussion, she had left her seat to stand with her hands pressed against the window’s glass, trying to reach through to be as close to Brody as possible. The pain of knowing love and losing it was almost too much for her to bear. She breathed his name under her breath and was startled when Brody looked across the courtyard right at her.

There was no way he could have heard her whisper his name, was there? Brody’s frown turned farther down and his brows furrowed in confusion. Mina froze and then realized how silly she must look half pushed against the glass, staring at him like some kind of lovesick puppy. She let out a squeak and dropped her hands to her sides.

Brody looked at Mina and then at the back of Savannah’s retreating form and shook his head. He turned, opened the door to the aquatics building and stormed back inside. T.J. jumped in surprise at Brody’s sudden change in mood and followed quickly behind.

Mina’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and she looked back at the door that Brody had just entered. He looked at her! He actually stopped and met eyes with her. His reaction was not what she expected. A painful imaginary orb lodged in her throat making it hard to swallow, and her heart broke a little more for her once-upon-a-time boyfriend.

It wasn’t that long ago that she found out that her name was not Mina Grime but Mina Grimm and she was descended from the Brothers Grimm. Her mother had changed their name and moved constantly, trying to hide from the Story. But it didn’t matter; it had still found them. Mina was now tasked with completing hundreds of fairy tale quests was in order to end a generational curse on her family.

Her first fairy tale quests had been the most challenging. She had imprisoned an ageless Fae named Claire, defeated a wolf pack and saved her best friend’s life. All while secretly dating the hottest and most popular guy in school. But their whole relationship, the whole experience was gone. Completely forgotten, this was a horrible side effect of her curse. Apparently, the Story, to protect itself and the Fae from humans, could erase memories and alter events. And it did, to Mina’s horror, and she lost her boyfriend and the few blissful weeks they had been together.

>Mina smiled in relief when it worked, but only for a moment as the closest bear could still reach her with his long powerful paw. She looked up in time to see him swipe for her head. She screamed and opened up the Grimoire. A pure bright light shot out of the book, making the bears shrink back in fear. She held onto the Grimoire in desperation as the book grew hot and the Fae bears continued to fight against the magical traps, while trying to dodge the light pouring from the book. Just like before, a powerful wind picked up, lifting them into the air and pulling them into its pages.

They came closer, and Mina dropped the book to the ground and moved away, scared of getting pulled into the book as well. She hid her eyes from the light and waited until the rushing wind stopped. When all was quiet, she looked around and saw that once again the book was closed. Slowly, she stood, dusted off her dirty and ripped jeans, and picked up the book to check on its contents.

What once was a blank page was now filled with a beautiful illustration--a perfect likeness of her attackers, in their true Fae forms. To the side of the three bears was the silhouette of a young girl that looked like Mina. She flipped to the beginning and saw words scrawled across the index. She had finished another quest and this one without help!