Fable (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale 3)

He was a disappointment. I had higher expectations. But I guess I’m hard to please. She couldn’t believe she was doing this, taunting the Story through the Grimoire. She didn’t even know it was possible.

I’ll try harder to meet your expectations next time. And you can be sure there will be a next time…and a next…and a next.

I will defeat you!

There was a long pause, and she thought that he had left and stopped writing. She stared at the page, willing an answer to appear, but nothing came. Finally, when she was about to close the book in frustration, his answer came, written slowly and deliberately.

Then I will look forward to that day when you confront me face to face.

That day may be sooner than you think, Teague.

I wouldn’t expect you to be the one speaking tall tales.

Why did it seem like he was flirting with her? She could have sworn he was smiling when he wrote that, but how would she know? How could she so easily visualize him writing in the book, when she couldn’t see him? Or was it because he was connected to the tales as much as she was that they were connected also. Her stomach rolled in displeasure.

Mina.

She didn’t want to play this game anymore and almost stopped writing completely.

What? she finally answered.

I’m sorry.

For what?

For what I’m about to do…but then again…maybe not.

The car had pulled to a stop in front of Nan’s apartment building, and Mina didn’t even know how long they had been sitting there. She looked up in alarm and saw Brody lean forward and kiss Nan on the lips. It was aggressive and very unlike him, and she knew then what Teague was doing. He was pushing Brody into kissing Nan. She knew then that he was truly evil and sadistic. She slammed the notebook closed and sat on it in frustration. The slamming noise and movement from the back seat broke the spell that Brody and Nan were under. Nan flushed pink, and Brody pulled back so fast from the kiss he hit his head on the rearview mirror.

“Ouch!”

Nan wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. Brody rubbed the back of his head and refused to look at either one of the girls. “Mina, I’m so sorry—you were so quiet I completely forgot you were back there.”

“It’s okay. I can call my mom to come get me, if you guys want to continue your date.” Her voice sounded hollow even to her.

“No, I’ll drive you home,” Brody replied gruffly.

Nan smiled at him in gratitude and waved at her before she stepped out of the car and headed to the doorman. She turned right before she entered the double doors, and waved sweetly and blew a kiss toward the car. Mina had no doubt that the kiss was meant for Brody.

She stayed in the back seat of the car as Brody pulled away from the curb. The silence became deafening between the two of them. She told herself she didn’t care, that Nan and Brody belonged together. But when Teague kept interfering with her friends with the sole intention of hurting her, she hated him, hated them. Being burned from a relationship was painful, and Teague had found a wound he could keep picking at to hurt her. She had almost believed him for a second when he said he was sorry. But she knew he wasn’t.

After a few blocks, Brody slowed the car down and came to a stop down a road lined with darkened houses. “Would you like to sit in the front seat?”

“No, I think I’m good back here,” she said stiffly.

“I really don’t know what came over me,” Brody said quietly, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

“She’s your girlfriend—you don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

“No, it was inconsiderate of me, considering our past history. I’m not even sure why I drove Nan home first. It was never my intention to hurt you like that.”

“I know. It’s not your fault.” Her heart was being twisted in a vise, and she didn’t think she could handle it anymore. Quickly, she flipped open the Grimoire and pulled out her pen and tried something.

Jared, she wrote.

Mina? Wow, how are you doing this? I can see your words in my head.

Never mind that. Can you come get me…NOW?