Fable: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale Book 3 by Chanda Hahn Read Free Book Online Page B

time since it was the first day of school and there wasn’t any
homework or tests to study for. But Mr. Ames made his way over to
the back of the room and straight for Mina’s desk.
    He knelt down to be at eye level with her
and took a deep breath. “We heard about the fire and the death of
your brother. The school faculty and I know that this is a
difficult time for you. If you need anything, please speak up and
let one of us or the school counselor know.”
    He had been trying to speak quietly, but it
was obvious by the stiffening of Brody’s shoulders and the audible
intake of breath in front of her that he’d overheard their teacher.
Well, that was one less awkward conversation she would have to
have.
    Brody turned and whispered quietly to Mr.
Ames, “If the school and faculty wanted to support Mina and her
family, why didn’t any of you come to the funeral?”
    The question had taken the teacher aback,
and Mina mentally cheered on Brody.
    When Mr. Ames went back to the front of the
room, Brody spun around in his chair with pity in his eyes.
    “ That wasn’t sincere. They
should have been there to show support. I should have been there
for you more.”
    Her heart felt like it was being stabbed
repeatedly over and over with a knife. “Why? You’re not responsible
for me. You’re not my boyfriend.” She could tell the words hurt him
a little, because his cheeks reddened and then his eyes dropped
down to stare at her lips. She knew he was remembering their shared
kiss at the hospital. There was no denying the attraction…or the
fact that an hour later he was kissing her best friend.
    Mina sucked in her breath when she saw where
his eyes lingered. She, too, began to remember their kiss, but she
remembered a different kiss, their first kiss on the school stage,
a kiss that he would never remember. Her heart began to pound, and
her lungs screamed for air at the intensity that was building to a
crescendo.
    He reached out and touched the top of her
hand, and Mina jumped in her seat, causing her notebook to fall off
the desk and onto the floor. He moved his hand from hers and bent
to pick up her notebook. She felt a loss as soon as he moved his
hand, and he didn’t put it back when he handed her the
notebook.
    “ Well, I thought at least
we were close enough—” he began.
    “ No, Brody…we’re not. We
won’t ever be close, because my best
friend means the world to me.” Her
emphasis on the word “friend” left him no room to argue.
    The spell was definitely broken, and she
needed to get her heart under control. This was no longer her
boyfriend.
    “ Does Nan know that we…?”
Brody gestured between the two of them, referring to their
kiss.
    “ That night at the
hospital? No way…not if I can help it. You’re not going to tell
her, either…right?” She gave him a pleading look.
    “ Uh, no,” he said quickly.
He seemed tense, like he was upset that she hadn’t told
Nan.
    It took every ounce of Mina’s willpower not
to do a face plant into the table. That wasn’t exactly what she was
hoping for, and now she was dying for the bell to ring.
    Thankfully, he turned around and began
talking to one of his water polo friends. When the bell did ring,
she was up and out the door first, despite being in the corner. She
was surprised to see that Jared was already outside the door,
waiting for her, and put his hand on the small of her back to lead
her to the side of the door.
    “ How was it? Think you can
survive five more periods?” he asked softly.
    Brody walked out the door behind Mina and
saw the placement of Jared’s hands on her. He scowled.
    A squeal could be heard down the hall,
followed by the pattering of running feet. Mina was bombarded by
blonde hair, strawberry perfume, and the blubbering crying form of
Nan Taylor, who clamped onto her neck. Nan’s long blonde hair was
in a side ponytail, and she wore a teal lacy shirt and denim
shorts, a zillion colored bangles on her wrists. Her cute nose