Mina had felt awful at her sudden change of thought and covered her face with her hands. It was too much, all too much for a sixteen year old to absorb. It wasn’t until she’d heard Savannah White’s laugh fill the lunchroom that Mina had officially lost it. She’d grabbed her tray and pushed it across the lunch table, then stood up loudly as her chair had flipped over, causing every head to turn her way expectantly. Every head except for Jared’s.
Mina had been angry. Angrier than she’d felt in a while. As a result, she’d turned and pushed another chair out of the way. The chair had moved effortlessly, and magically it changed directions. It skidded into a poor passerby, Steven. He stumbled and dropped his lunch tray of food right into the lap of the one and only Savannah White. Savannah had screamed at Steven and his pile of spaghetti that spilled across her pristine cheerleader uniform. The lunchroom erupted into laughter.
Mina had stood and stared at the domino effect that she had caused and couldn’t believe her luck. She’d looked at the faces of the students. No one had even looked at her or noticed her actions. Savannah’s angry tirade became louder and more hysterical. Mina had glanced one more time toward Jared and he’d purposefully looked down at his tray with a smug grin across his face. His eyes almost couldn’t contain the obvious mischief that lurked there.
That had explained it all. Mina wasn’t sure how she’d known, but Jared was behind the mysteriously moving chair, and the Steven and Savannah spectacle. She’d wondered if it was some kind of peace offering for refusing to acknowledge her. Well, she hadn’t taken it. Mina had turned and walked out the double doors of the lunchroom, leaving the monkey house it had become behind.
That had been over a month ago. Still Jared hadn’t spoken to her. And Brody had just been giving her odd looks. Boy trouble, plus the intense pressure of always trying to be on her guard for the next quest was taking a toll on her nerves. She could feel her younger self starting to slip away to be replaced by a forlorn, lovesick, paranoid loony. Mina felt like she was floating above herself looking down, not actually participating in her life.
“WATCH OUT!” Nan screamed.
Mina felt a strong tug on her green corduroy jacket and she was jerked back onto the curb and into the present. A red convertible, carrying a bunch of screaming teenage girls, whizzed by almost running over her. She looked up in confusion at her surroundings. They were standing outside of Kennedy High School next to the curb across from the parking lot. When had they walked outside? Was she really zoning out into her own thoughts so much that she was losing big chunks of time? She didn’t even remember walking across the school campus.
Nan released her death grip on Mina’s jacket. “Mina, really. Please tell me what is wrong with you?”
The adrenaline of almost getting hit by a car started to overtake her. If Nan hadn’t been right next to her she would’ve been toast. Burnt toast, crispy, not even worth salvaging and where would that leave her family? It would’ve meant that Charlie, her silent younger brother would be the next Grimm to face the Story.
She was not meant to go out like that, not by something as simple as walking into oncoming traffic. How in the world was she going to face another dangerous quest when she couldn’t even keep herself safe? She began to feel dizzy, sick, and nauseous all at once. Her legs became Jell-O and they buckled beneath her. She crumpled to the sidewalk, breathing heavily.
Nan screamed her name and a buzzing noise filled Mina’s ears. She could’ve sworn she heard Claire’s evil laugh echoing around her and heard LoneTree snarling at her.
Another car pulled up next to them and a window rolled down. “What’s going on? What happened?”
The strong voice broke through the echo of Claire's maniacal laugh in her head, but Mina still couldn’t calm her breathing or her heart.
Nan answered, “She was almost hit by a car and I think she’s in shock.”
“Don’t move.” A car door opened, footsteps came around and another door opened. Mina was so dazed she let Nan usher her into the backseat of the car with little resistance.
The feel of cool leather seats brushed against Mina’s face and the smell was oddly familiar, though unrecognizable. Three car doors slammed and the engine roared to life.
“Where to?” the male driver asked.
Mina looked around the backseat of the car, a few textbooks and a black sports bag with the school’s mascot and water polo silhouette in white where the only things littering the floor. She looked up into the rearview mirror and concerned blue eyes met hers. She didn’t need to see the driver’s face to know that she was in the backseat of Brody Carmichael’s car.
“972…” Nan rattled off.
“NO!” Mina yelled out a little too loudly. Nan was giving Brody her home address.
Nan’s head whipped around from the front seat to stare at her wide-eyed. “So you don’t want to go home? I thought you were having some kind of breakdown back there.”
Mina bit her lip and looked down in embarrassment. “I’m okay now. The shock of almost being hit by the car stunned me for a bit. I’m fine…really,” she added lamely.
Nan’s eyebrow rose, firmly stating she didn’t quite believe her. “Whatever.” She opened the car door and stepped out onto the curb. “I guess we won’t need a ride after all.”
Brody answered, “It’s fine. I can give you a lift anywhere you want to go.” His wet hair had almost dried from the sun. Mina wanted to reach out and touch the semi-wet locks, but pulled back. She briefly wondered if he’d been as confused and conflicted as she was lately.
Mina pulled on the backdoor door handle, but it didn’t budge; it was still locked. She couldn’t believe it, child-proof locks.
Brody turned his head to stare at Mina who was latched onto the door handle waiting to leap out of the car as soon as he unlocked it. He didn’t. He watched and waited for what seemed like an eternity, before asking, “What are you doing this weekend?” Even though the question was obviously directed at Mina, it was Nan who answered from the sidewalk.
“We are going to see Dead Prince Society. I suppose you wouldn’t know who they are, would you?”
Brody’s eyes glanced at Mina before answering. “Yeah, I know them. The lead singer is my cousin.”
“WHAT! I can’t believe it! Valdemar is your cousin. That is about the coolest thing ever. Can you get us autographs?” Nan was in rock heaven.
He looked toward Nan’s dancing form, as she jumped around, waving her hands in anticipation. Brody’s mouth turned upwards before looking at Mina again in the backseat. “I’ll do you one better. Let me drive you there Saturday and I’ll get you backstage passes.”
Even more screaming erupted from Nan, causing a nearby flock of birds to fly off. Mina covered her ears in surprise. Brody winced in pain.
“YES, yes, holy mackerel, yes.” She began to sing out loud the chorus to their latest hit song, Beauty’s Dead.” She quickly became oblivious to Mina’s plight at being still locked in the car.
“What about you, Mina?” Brody asked, his voice growing softer.
Her fingers reluctantly let go of the door handle. She couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes.