UnEnchanted Read online

  “So as long as I live, Charlie is protected?” Mina looked over at her brother and felt her heart grow strong with a single-minded determination to protect her brother.

  “Yes..honey, look at Charlie. He’s not strong enough to protect himself from the fate of the Grimm Story. I can’t lose you and I can’t lose Charlie. He’s all I have left of your father.” Sara grabbed a few tissues from the box on the beat up coffee table. She picked at them tearing them apart.

  “Mom, I want to try and stop it.” Mina didn’t know where the determination came from but she spoke the words out loud and as soon as she said it, she knew it was true.

  “No! I forbid you. Nothing strange has happened since you saved that boy, right? This means we still have time to run.” Sara looked at Mina and she could see the sliver of hope in her mother’s eyes. Sara wanted to run, wanted this to be a huge coincidence.

  “Mom.” Mina said one word and Sara could hear the undertone in Mina’s voice and knew what it meant.

  “It’s too late isn’t it? What happened? What’s been happening?” she asked worriedly.

  Mina mentioned practically riding over a dog and donkey and was shocked when Sara interrupted blurting out, “and a cat and rooster,” before Mina had even finished. Sara blushed, “I’ve made sure to try and read up on my tales. Anything else? Tell me exactly what happened on the tour.” Sara demanded and Mina did. “Oh, this sounds bad; it sounds like it could be another story, but I don’t know which one. It may already be too late. Well at least that stupid book hasn’t appeared, yet.”

  “What’s going on, what happened at the bakery, what book?”

  “Mina trust me, it’s better if we don’t discuss this anymore. Words have power and it makes it that much easier for the Story to find you. The less we talk about what happened at the Bakery, the safer we are.”

  “What about the book?” Mina asked frustrated.

  “Again, it’s better to not to mention it. The book is the final piece of the puzzle, if the book finds you than you know it’s too late and you are officially apart of the Story’s tales. Only problem is, other things are looking for the book as well. So it’s best we leave before either of them find us.” Sara stood up and wistfully looked around the small living room that only had room for a sofa and a small rocker. A fifteen inch TV was in the corner on the bookshelf, rarely used; a few tattered books and a quilt that was given to them by Mrs. Wong. There were hardly any personal items in the home, Mina finally understood why. It was easier to pack, if there were less sentimental items to slow you down.

  “Mom, I’m not leaving.” Mina stated stubbornly.

  “Yes, you are. Think of your brother.” Sara blinked at her daughter in disbelief.

  “I am thinking of Charlie and that’s why I’m not leaving.” Mina could feel herself begin to cry and she pushed back at her tears angrily with the back of her sleeve. “I’m going to stop this. I can do this. I will do this, for him, for you.”

  Sara started to shake her head in protest but Mina continued angrily. “Mom, you can either help me, or hinder me, but one way or another the Story is going to catch up to us.”

  Sara sat down again and looked at her hands folded in her lap. Tears slowly slid down her cheeks to land in wet drops on her khaki pants. “I always knew it would, I was just hoping I could postpone it until you were older, stronger.”

  “I’m both, Mom. You did great, but now it’s my turn to take care of the family. But I’m going to need your help.”

  Sara nodded her head in understanding. “What do you want me to do?”

  Chapter 6

  Walking to school the next morning Mina felt like a completely different person. She felt as if all of the puzzle pieces finally fell into place. She had answers to questions that had been plaguing her for years, though not all of them. She knew why her family moved so much, why her mother discouraged her from trying out for sports, and clubs. It was to keep her out of the spotlight, from becoming a school sports hero or star. She felt as if her crazy teenage life now had meaning, had a purpose. She was a Grimm, and had a legacy to uphold. The fate of the future generations of Grimms depended on her to finish the Story and break the curse on her family.

  Mina had plenty of time to think over everything as she walked to school. She told her mother about the mix-up at the Carmichael’s and the unfortunate accident that involved her bike. Sara was furious and it took every persuasive ounce that Mina had to convince her mother to not call up the Carmichael’s in a fit and to let it go.

  “It’s just a bike and it was my fault I left the bike in the middle of the driveway, not theirs. Plus I wouldn’t have been there if your boss Terry hadn’t gotten the families mixed up,” Mina wheedled trying to change the direction in which the blame lay.

  Sara looked thoughtful and her anger dissipated as she tried to contemplate how this all happened. “I don’t understand, there’s only one Carmichael family. And you said they weren’t expecting us? How strange.”

  Mina darted out of the door the minute her mother picked up the phone to call her boss. Now that her commute took longer walking, Mina needed to wake up earlier, which for any teenager is a big stretch. Mina wished that she still had her bike when the sky turned overcast and it started to sprinkle. She groaned, wishing she would have checked the forecast.

  A tingling sensation on the back of Mina’s neck alerted Mina that she was being followed. Picking up her pace Mina kept her head up and tried to not make eye contact. Her nerves were a wreck and she was ready to bolt when a car slowly pulled up next to her on the road and rolled down its window.

  Mina wasn’t sure what to expect, robbers, kidnappers, someone that was going to ask for directions and then force her in their car. She wasn’t a child that could easily fall for those ploys, so she was taken aback when a male voiced asked politely. “Need a ride?”

  “No thanks,” Mina shot back. She picked up her pace, refusing to look at the driver. The rain started to come down in bigger droplets, making her squint.

  “Mina…,” The driver said her name.

  Mina’s head turned in surprise to see Brody Carmichael driving alongside her in his Camaro. She faltered in her footsteps but kept moving. How did he find her? How did he know where she lived? She knew her phone number and address were unlisted.

  “Mina, I’m sorry about your bike. It was an accident.” Brody looked apologetic. Mina kept walking. “The least you could let me do to make up for it is give you a ride to school, it’s raining.”

  It was raining, hard.

  Mina blinked the rain out of her eyes and shivered. Whether it was from the cold or the idea of sitting less than a foot from Brody Carmichael, she wasn’t sure. But when her teeth started to chatter Brody abruptly stopped the car darted out into the rain and ran to the passenger door and opened it for her. “Get in, before you get sick.”

  Mina bobbed her head in answer and slid in, her wet jeans sticking miserably to the leather seats. Her hair was now soaking wet and large drops of water were dripping onto the seats of his car.

  “I’m sorry.” Mina’s teeth chattered out when Brody ducked back into his car.

  His large hand went to the console and turned on the heat. He twisted in his seat and reached behind him to pull a clean shirt out of his gym bag. “Here, use this.” He took the shirt and gently tried to wipe the water from her face.

  Mina jumped from the touch and he held out the shirt to her in a peace offering. “Sorry,” she said again.

  Brody smiled out of the corner of his mouth. “You sure do apologize a lot, when it’s not even your fault.”

  “I’m getting your seat all wet.” She tried to use the shirt to wipe off the pools of water on the leather but he reached out, touched her hand stopping her efforts.

  “It’s just a car, it will dry.” He looked at Mina and her heart fluttered. He meant it, he wasn’t lying or trying to appease her, he didn’t care about the car at all.

  Mina let the heat of th
e car soak into her bones, no wait; it was Brody’s heated seats. She was so nervous; she didn’t know what to say or where to look. Should she talk to him, look at him, ask him about his family. She couldn’t decide so Mina did none of them. She stared out the passenger window.

  Brody cleared his throat. “You know you are one hard person to find?”

  Mina turned to look at him. “What do you mean, you were looking for me?”

  Brody cast her quick glance before focusing on driving again. “Well I tried to call you to apologize but you are unlisted and then no one I knew had your cell number.”

  “I don’t have a cell phone.” Mina was embarrassed and felt her cheeks turn pink. She must be the only girl in high school without a phone. “I’m also not friends with anyone you would know.”

  Brody shrugged. “I didn’t know. So then I was going to come to your house but again…”

  “Unlisted,” Mina finished for him, glad for once that her mother paid a small fee each year to keep it that way. Mina didn’t know what she would have done if Brody showed up on her doorstep, in the middle of yesterday’s packing fiasco.

  “Brody, it’s okay. What happened yesterday was an accident. I left it in the middle of the driveway. It wasn’t as if you ran over me or anything.” Mina played with the edge of her sleeve. She was doing it again, taking the blame.

  “Then why did you run from me?” Brody asked looking at her. “You didn’t give me a chance to apologize or explain.”

  Mina wasn’t expecting this question and she desperately wished she was outside walking in the rain again. She shrugged her shoulders pathetically in answer. “I don’t know.” A few minutes of silence filled the car and then Mina turned on Brody. “What were you doing on this side of town this morning? I know for a fact that you live on the other side of town.”

  Brody chuckled and smiled at Mina. “Looking for you.”

  “W-w-what, Why?” Mina was numb with disbelief.

  “I felt bad about what happened and I wanted to find you. So I had one of our employees do some digging and they found out that you lived in the international district. I only found out this morning so I decided to head over here to find you. After all I did destroy your only mode of transportation; so the least you could let me do was drive you to school.”

  “And lock me in the car, so I have to listen to your apology right?” Mina pursed her lips in anger. She couldn’t believe him. He had someone do a background check on them? He had some nerve. “You had no right!” Mina was ticked.

  “I had every right.” Brody pulled the car into the school parking lot. He put the car in park and turned toward her, the windshield wipers still moving back and forth, creating a lulling sound. “I knew that if I didn’t get to talk to you outside of school. I wouldn’t ever get the chance to apologize.”

  Mina was hurt and angry. Secretly she knew the real reason. “I understand. It’s because you are embarrassed to be seen talking to me in school. I mean after all you’re Brody Carmichael and you have a certain social standing to uphold and I’m just Mina Grimm, a nobody.” Mina unknowingly let her real name slip, but Brody didn’t seem to realize it. He opened his mouth to argue but Mina cut him off. “It’s okay. You’ve apologized see; apology accepted. You’ve done your civic duty and you’re off the hook. Don’t worry; we aren’t going to sue or anything.” Mina jumped out of the car and took off toward the school, leaving Brody to scramble getting the keys out of the ignition.

  Running into school Mina ducked into the girl’s bathroom and crumpled in a lone bathroom stall. She couldn’t believe she just had a fight with Brody. Tears burned in her eyes from embarrassment and anger. How could he? She fumed. Why would he go to all of the trouble to search her out, to apologize; when he could have just done it at school? It’s because she was right, he was embarrassed by her. He was embarrassed that she, boring old Mina, saved his life.

  Mina wiped away her tears and walked to the sink to try and fix what damage the rain had done to her hair. The rain had added a slight wave to her brown hair which was not unattractive. It fell past her shoulders and was mostly dry thanks to the awesome heaters in Brody’s car. Mina felt queasy as soon as she remembered her words spoken in anger to Brody. He’s just a boy, it will all blow over and he will forget you. She told herself.

  The first warning bell rang and Mina heard the door open and three girls rushed into the bathroom, to apply a final layer of makeup before class.

  “Did you see Brody out there?” one girl whispered. “He looks angry, wonder what Savannah said to tick him off.” She pulled out a giant can of aerosol hairspray out of her back pack and began to spray it heavily to her styled locks.

  Mina started to cough and back up from the sink.

  “Didn’t you hear?” A brunette commented between mascara swipes. “They are officially over.”

  “Since when?” The chunky one asked.

  “Since that terrible day when he almost died.”

  “But I thought they got back together?” Aerosol girl commented.

  “For only a few hours, he broke it off after school.” Mascara teen preened knowledgeably.

  “Excuse me.” Mina interrupted and all three heads snapped in her direction. Each of them appraised her and the chunky one frowned in disapproval. “Did you say that Brody is outside these doors?”

  “What’s it to you. Thinking you’re going to move in now that he’s single? I can tell you right now, that you’re not his type.” The dark haired girl put down her mascara and looked at Mina.

  “No, far from it. I’m actually going out of my way to avoid running in to him,” Mina spoke truthfully.

  She must have believed her because she answered. “Not anymore, he was pacing the hall for a few minutes but I saw him head toward his first class.”

  Mina sighed. “Thanks.” She rushed out of the bathroom and made it to her first hour class just as the second bell was ringing. Mina slid into her desk and Nan immediately leaned over whispered. “Is it true?”

  “Is what true?” Mina whispered back pulling out her history textbook, to try and review for a test that was later today.

  “That Brody drove you to school. Are you two and item?” Nan whispered.

  Mina couldn’t believe how quickly things spread in this school. “No! He gave me a ride and that’s it.”

  “But I saw,” Nan started.

  “Please Nan, I will tell you at lunch. I promise,” Mina begged.

  Nan saw the hint of tears in her best friend’s eyes and she let her questions drop. A good friend knew when to be supportive and when to press. Sighing Nan leaned back and looked at her brand new iPhone, a gift from a friend of the family’s after they learned she dropped it trying to help Mina and Brody. Nan’s fingers gently tapped a response to the text message she received moments ago.

  Upset. Give Time.

  Chapter 7

  “Spill,” Nan demanded once they had taken their trays over to a table far away from prying ears. Mina had selected the corner one because it was the farthest table from the one Brody sat at with his friends.

  “It’s entirely your fault Nan. I went to deliver the stupid packet because you wouldn’t do it. And after totally embarrassing myself in front of Mrs. Carmichael who had no clue as to my reason for being there, Brody drove up and ran over my bike!”

  “O-M-G!” Nan spoke aloud one of her texting phrases. “What did you do?”

  “I was so embarrassed, I ran.”

  “You WHAT?” Nan jumped back and slapped the table.

  “Exactly. Then I went home to find my mom had gone on the packing binge and was ready to move us to Alaska.”

  “But how does that lead to this morning?” Nan asked suspiciously.

  “He stalked me; he got an employee to find out where I lived and then drove up and down my streets like a stalker. Supposedly he wanted to give me a ride to school, because he felt bad for crushing my bike.

  “Um Mina,” Nan spoke softly.

 
; Mina peeled her orange with a vengeance. “Yeah, and then he had the gall to tell me he wanted to apologize to me before we got to school, because he knew he wouldn’t once we were in school. It’s because he’s embarrassed by me.”

  “Mina,” Nan tried to interrupt her friend, as she attacked her helpless fruit.

  “I tell you Nan, he is afraid to be seen in public with me. You think he wouldn’t after I saved his life and all.” Mina shoved an orange slice into her mouth and bit down.

  “Mina, he’s coming this way,” Nan smirked.

  “MFFWHA?” Mina said with a mouth stuffed with orange. She looked around the cafeteria and saw that his usual spot with the polo team was empty. He was in fact, tray in hand, moving towards their table. Mina looked at Nan eyes wide in panic.

  “Relax, he may be going somewhere else.” She tried to comfort her panicked friend but knew it was a lie. She had watched as moments earlier, Brody enter the cafeteria and scan the whole student population looking for Mina.

  Brody saw her; she wasn’t at her usual table so it took a few moments for him to find her. He took his tray and never once did he look away from her table while he waited in line. He had a feeling that if she saw him she would run. Josh called to him as he passed by his friend and usual spot and walked to a different table. He saw numerous heads turn in his direction and take note in the change of his routine, but he didn’t care. He needed to prove to her that she wasn’t right about him. What she said stabbed him deep and he wanted her to know he was different. He knew the instant she spotted him, because her posture stiffened and she started choking.

  Brody dropped his tray on the table reached over to slap Mina on the back. Once she had stopped coughing she turned on him. “What are you doing?” She whispered between clenched teeth, trying to keep her mouth from moving. People were staring at them.

  “I know you thought the conversation in the car was over but it’s not.” Brody smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling with challenge.