Fairest (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #2)

If she knew what was good for her she would’ve walked away, but curiosity got the best of her. She waited as the power windows lowered with only a small hum. Mina leaned down expecting some sort of sport executive or celebrity VIP. She stepped back in disdain when it was Jared.

He leaned across the passenger seat and whispered to Mina. “We need to talk.”

Mina glanced warily over her shoulder and watched Savannah get into her blue convertible, any minute now she would be gone. “No, I don’t think we do,” she answered out of the side of her mouth.

“YES, we do, and if you don’t stop avoiding me you are quickly going to be in over your head again.”

“What do you mean again?” Mina argued.

“Can’t you feel it? The storm brewing, the accumulation of power, the Story is building up toward another quest for you.” At the word quest a small gust of wind blew against Mina, making her shiver.

“Yeah I know. It’s not my first rodeo. I’m way ahead of you and I’ve already got it covered,” she said, impatiently patting her jacket where she had tucked the Grimoire.

“Oh you mean taking care of it like you did in the today in the lunchroom? You are way off track and you obviously don’t understand how these things work.”

Mina gave Jared a disgusted look.

“Get in the car, I’ll drive you home and we can talk.”

“How do you know there’s another quest coming?” She pointed her finger accusingly at him. “You haven’t been very friendly or forthcoming with information yet.”

“I’ll explain later, just get in.” Jared reached forward and opened the door for her. Mina debated with herself. Jared may be the one person who could help her and if he knew what was going on, then she needed his help. But, she told herself, if he lied to her, or if she thought she was in danger, she would run from him and run fast. Somewhat happy with her plan, Mina nodded to Jared.

“What about my bike?” Mina pointed lamely toward her red bike, sitting crookedly in the bike rack.

“It will be back on your apartment landing before morning, but we need to talk and we NEED to talk soon.” Jared was quickly becoming impatient.

“Just give me a minute.” Mina turned and went to put the lock back by the bike, when Savannah rode by in her car, the top down, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. Mina felt her stomach sour at the prospect of spending more hours watching her, and was somewhat grateful for Jared’s distraction.

Mina slid into the front seat, clicked her seat belt and looked toward the school Aquatic Building. Coach Potts must have ended practice early because Brody was walking toward his car, his blonde hair still wet from the water. He was going to walk right in front of them. Mina’s heart thudded in anticipation at seeing him. The car roared to life, Jared hit the gas and raced toward Brody angrily. Brody jumped back on the sidewalk, out of the way of the speeding car. He shot Jared a puzzled look.

Chapter 6

He was taking the long way home, or maybe just a different route. Either way Mina was almost positive this was nowhere near where her family lived. She wasn’t even sure if Jared knew where he was driving to. It was another ten minutes before she asked him the question that had been plaguing her.

“Where did you get the car?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t play dumb. I know you have a black motorcycle. I even saw you crash it, and yet somehow you’ve been riding the same bike the last few weeks. I have never seen you drive a car before today, so where did you get this car?” Silence filled the air. When he wasn’t forthcoming with an answer, she asked, “Did you steal it?”

“No!” he barked out angrily. “I did not steal it.”

“Then where did you get it?” She crossed her arms indignantly and glared at him.

“It is none of your concern.”

“Of course it is my concern. I need to know if I’m consorting with a criminal!”

“Mina, you know I’m not a criminal!”

“No, I don’t. You have made certain that I know very little about you. For instance, who’s the girl?” she asked.

Jared smirked. “What girl?” He answered innocently.

“The one you were practically making out with in the hallway at school,” Mina exaggerated.

Jared snorted, “Jealous much?”

“No! I just wish you would tell me things,” she answered pathetically.

“It’s none of your business, who I hang out with. It’s safer that way.”

Jared gripped the steering wheel and took the last turn a little too fast. She wasn’t prepared and slammed her shoulder into the door painfully.

“No, what would be safer, is if you would slow down,” she argued rubbing her shoulder.

Jared winced and decelerated the car. “Her name is Ever.”

“Who is she?” Mina asked.

“Nobody you should worry about,” he snapped.

It was the last straw. Mina was fed up with Jared.

“I’ve heard your pathetic excuses before, you sound like a broken record. You can’t tell me, or you won’t tell me!” She waved her fingers in the air at Jared. “Ooh, it’s not safe if you tell me, it’s taboo. Plus, you had no right to treat me like you did the last few weeks. You pretend that you don’t even know me at school and you won’t tell me how you are alive and what happened after you crashed your bike. All of these things are important and only when it is convenient for you do you want to talk to me. Well I’ve had it. I want answers and I want answers now.”

“You won’t like any of them,” he stated simply.

“Then why ask me to get in the car?”

“Because I needed to speak with you privately.”

“This is private. We are in a car alone.”

“No, this isn’t private enough. There are too many people. We need to be where no one can see us.”

“Jared, you are really starting to scare me.” Mina stated truthfully. Feelings of unease started to build.

He hit the steering wheel hard with the palm of his hand in frustration. Mina jumped. “That is exactly what I’m not trying to do. He looked at her with a worried expression etched across his face. “I’m trying to give you answers, and I don’t want to scare you, but you are just so darn impatient.”

Mina’s body tensed up from the sudden mood change in the car. Everything had become extremely serious. “I don’t care if I like the answers; I just want answers. I don’t even know if I can trust you, if you are on my side.” She stated softly.

Jared’s jaw twitched and she knew by his body language that she hit a nerve.

“Well are you?”

“Am I what?” he answered a little too quickly.

“On my side?”

“Who says there has to be sides?”

“Of course there are sides. You are either with me or with the evil Fae, who are always trying to kill me.”

“Not all of us are always trying to kill you. It’s just… complicated. Hey, there is an ice cream place up here do you want ice cream?”

Mina caught Jared’s slip of the tongue and how he immediately tried to cover it. That misdirection might have fooled Nan, but it wasn’t going to fool her. However, she did see something interesting next to the ice cream store.