“All right,” she whispered.

What was wrong with her? This is what she had been waiting for, a chance to reunite with Brody, to see if what they had was real, or if it was a product of the Story’s manipulation. As much as she longed for Brody, there was the remote possibility that without the Story’s interference, he may not feel the same way about her again. Was she ready to try again and risk losing him? YES!

Brody blinked in surprise. Apparently she had spoken aloud and with force.

“Okay then, it’s settled.” He reached for the automatic lock and pushed the button, releasing Mina from the backseat.

Before she stepped out, she asked him, “Would you have unlocked the door if I had said no?”

“Possibly. We won’t really know, now will we? Since you didn’t-- say no, that is.” His lips pressed together and he smiled crookedly. He touched his forehead and squeezed his eyes. With a slight shake of his head, he started the car and waited as Mina exited the backseat. She could tell that he was struggling with something inside himself, some memories. It only made Mina’s heart break for him a little bit more.

“Where should we meet you?” Nan smiled and leaned in the opened window.

Brody looked at Mina when he spoke, “How about I pick you up at--”

“Nan’s condo!” Mina interrupted, knowing exactly what Brody was going to suggest. She learned her lesson the first time; she wanted to keep him far away from her mother. Mina didn’t want any more arguments or “I told you so’s,” in case things didn’t go her way again.

Brody frowned, but entered Nan’s address in his phone anyway. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

The sound of a motorcycle revving made Mina’s head snap up. The timing was inconceivable. Jared was once again on his black motorcycle across the street. He revved the engine again, intentionally drawing attention to himself. Mina glared at him and he shook his head slowly, telling her no.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. There was no way he knew what she was thinking of doing? He couldn’t have overheard their conversation about going to the concert. Or could he?

Angry and frustrated, she put on her most flirtatious smile, which probably looked awkward and pained. But Mina did her best to impersonate Savannah. “Oh, I can’t wait. It will be so much fun.” Mina smiled and stuck her chin up in the air, in a challenge to Jared, daring him to stop her.

To show his displeasure he hit the gas and front brakes, causing a very long circular skid of rubber along the pavement as he did a one eighty and tore off down the road.

Nan wrinkled her nose at the smell of burning rubber. Brody waved before driving away.

“What was that?” Nan asked accusingly.

“What was what?” Mina said in her most innocent voice.

“Oh, you can’t fool me.” She switched to a high-pitched voice, “Oh, golly gee whiz, Brody. It will be so much fun. Can’t wait.” Nan wiggled her head back and forth making her blonde hair swish in an exact parody of Savannah. Mina was momentarily stunned by how close the similarity was.

“Gosh, Mina,” Nan huffed out. “Want to make him run the other way fast? Just start talking like his ex-girlfriend.”

“I wasn’t purposefully trying to.” Mina’s shoulders dropped in discouragement. “I was trying to channel someone fun and flirty/ and she was the first person to pop into my head.”

“What! I wasn’t the first one you thought of? I’m offended. I’m way more fun and flirty than Savannah.”

She had a point. Nan was one of the prettiest girls in the school and had a fun, flirty attitude. Everyone knew who Nan Taylor was; her divorced parents were lawyers and wealthy to boot.

And if they didn’t personally know her, they probably followed her on twitter, or whatever the latest social media craze was. She could quite possibly be the most popular girl in school, if she ever tried. But Nan didn’t try; she didn’t try to fit in or be anything other than who she was, and for that Mina was grateful.

A familiar tingling sensation began crawling up Mina’s spine, a warning that something Fae or magical was near. She turned around and looked for the source of her discomfort.

Nan was still talking, as Mina bit her lip in worry. She scanned the students hanging around. There were a few underclassmen doing tricks on skateboards; and Principal Hame was sauntering over to begin yelling at them, Savannah and Pri were showing off a new cheer to a group of girls. Everything looked ordinary, even down to the small-boned, pale-skinned girl listening to her iPod near the fence. She was new, or at least Mina had never seen her before. She was beautiful in an intense sort of way. Her hair was short and, fashionably unruly. Her pleated skirt and vest resembled a private school uniform, except for the very loud shoes. A deliberate style choice, no doubt.

Mina was about to ignore the feeling of power and trepidation when the girl looked up from her iPod and made eye contact with her. Barely contained loathing flickered across the girl’s face. Mina called Nan’s name and turned to ask her about the new student. But when they both looked back, the girl was gone.

Chapter 3

It was five o’clock and Mina still hadn’t found anything out of Nan’s closet to wear. Mainly because Nan was trying to dress Mina up like a doll. The other reason was that Nan’s room was more of a disaster zone than Mina’s. Mina’s room looked messy. Nan’s looked like a bomb went off in it.

“Ooh, this one’s nice.” Nan pulled out a blue and white long shirt and held it up for her best friend’s inspection. “Paired with a gold belt and my brown boots, it would be to die for.”

Mina nodded. “And with those jeans,” she said.

Nan stared at Mina in disbelief. “You can’t wear pants with this! It’s a dress.” She pulled the dress shirt up to her own body and modeled it. “See, a dress.”

Mina made a face. “No, that is half a dress!”

Nan flounced around the room and pulled out three more dress shirts in similar fashion. “See, they are a shirt and a dress. It’s the latest fashion.” She pouted at Mina, and held them out to for her to pick one.

“Fashion for a Barbie, maybe? I couldn’t possibly wear it.”

“You never know until you try.” Nan rolled her eyes.

“No, I know I will never try it on.” Mina chuckled good-naturedly.

“Wilhelmina Grime, you go in there and try this on…NOW!” Nan tossed the dress at Mina and physically pushed her into her own en suite bathroom.

“No, ack! No…stop,” Mina screamed and tried to argue, but couldn’t as Nan began to assault her with accessories and the other shirt dresses. Giving in, Mina took the clothes and retreated to the bathroom. Nan’s bathroom was larger than Mina’s small bedroom, with a garden-soaking tub, dual sinks, and a shower that had a waterfall feature.

Mina sighed and laid the dresses across the cluttered counter, on an area that had less mess. Stripping down, she tried a long emerald green shirt and was impressed. It fell slightly above her knees, shorter than anything she owned. But it didn’t look inappropriate. She knew if she were any taller, it would show way too much leg. She added a gold belt, bangles and necklace and slipped on a pair of Steve Madden boots.