UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #1)(35)

Unfortunately one of the only spots left was next to Mina. Usually because Mina was so inept at social conversation, she didn’t try and talk to anyone during art class so no one wanted to sit next to her. But lucky for her, advanced art class was less lecture and more practical study. In the class there were welders, sculptures, painters etc. The boy introduced as Jared, moved and sat down next to Mina with barely a flicker of acknowledgment.

The girls in the class were delighted about the obvious new student. Mina was less than thrilled. She ignored Jared, stood up and walked across the room to sit by one of the potter’s wheels. Mina loved how the feel of a pile of dirt could be manipulated and formed on a wheel into something useful and pretty. Mina picked up the clay and dropped it onto the center of the wheel and turned the power on. Getting her hands wet Mina slowly felt the pull of the clay and centered it on the wheel, once properly centered she began to form it.

“What are you making?” Jared asked coming over and sitting at the next empty potter’s wheel. He too, picked up a lump of red clay and began the process of centering the clay.

Mina was actually surprised at how deftly his hands moved over the clay. But still irritated from the other night, gritting her teeth, she ignored him.

“You know you can’t ignore me forever.” His hands moved as if they were in tune with the clay.

“Watch me,” Mina answered between clenched teeth.

“It wasn’t an impolite question. I’m trying to carry on a civil conversation with you.” Jared turned his head and focused on Mina instead of his piece on the wheel, which was very hard to do.

“There’s nothing civil about you and I would prefer to not carry on any conversation with you.” Mina grunted in protest as she took her eyes off of her piece to confront Jared. Her mound of clay became unbalanced and flopped over to the side.

“That’s too bad,” Jared consoled. “You should never let distractions get in the way of your goal, it leads to misfortune.”

“You want to know what I’m making,” Mina asked. “Here.” She stopped the wheel; hit the lopsided clump with her fist. “It’s an ashtray.” She scooped the piece up and threw it back into the clay bucket, and walked out of the classroom, stopping at the nearest bathroom to wash the red clay from her hands and nails.

What’s come over me? She asked herself. Mina didn’t bother returning to her art class, knowing that she had enough pieces finished to pass her for the quarter. Mr. Ames was pretty lenient when it came to art. He never felt that the artist should be stifled, so they were allowed to almost come and go as they pleased as long as they finished enough projects to pass.

Mina waited until the bell rang and practically flew toward Nan’s locker. “He’s here.”

Nan put her books away and looked at Mina. “Who’s here?”

“The boy from the alley.” Mina felt out of breath and rushed. She had told Nan about him in two short and stiff sentences over the weekend.

“No way!” Nan held up her phone to Mina. “Is this him? I’ve been getting all the updates and texts on him since he walked through the school doors. My, he is cute.” She leaned over and looked into her locker mirror and pressed her lips together to apply more gloss. Today she wore a Gleek T-shirt, bottle cap belt and her soft blonde hair flowed in waves. No matter what outfit or ensemble Nan wore she was always beautiful.

Mina thought for a second. “Yes, he is cute and if he wasn’t so rude you probably would like him.”

Nan and Mina walked toward the lunchroom and Mina was secretly relieved to see that she was not the center of attention. Nan pulled on Mina’s jacket to lead her over to their usual table but Mina froze when she saw that Jared was already sitting there as if he knew.

Mina pulled away from Nan and went and sat by Brody and his friends, who looked at her in surprise. Nan followed glumly and sat down too. Slightly disappointed she didn’t get to meet the new hot guy at school, but was quickly appeased when Justin from the water polo team started talking to her.

“I’m glad that you are okay.” Brody leaned over to Mina and whispered so only she could hear. “Because I’ve been worried about you. I waited for you and you never showed up. I’ve been tearing myself to pieces with worry.”

“Nothing to be worried about, see, I’m fine.” Mina gestured to her body, that she was in fact whole and in one piece.

Brody stared at her face and the faint outline of the bruise on her cheek. Her makeup had done a good job of covering up most of the yellowness but it had started to fade. Her hand flew to her cheek reflexively when she noticed his direct stare. “Does it hurt?” he asked.

“Not anymore. Like I told you I’m fine.”

“Is that why you didn’t come to school?”

“There would have been too many awkward questions. It was easier to stay home.

Brody nodded in understanding “What did you tell your mom?”

“Nothing yet. I have nothing new to tell her.”

Brody stiffened. Mina could tell that he was angry she hadn’t told her mother anything. “Why not?”

“It would make her worry.”

“She should be worried. You should be worried!” He spoke in a clipped manner.

“Brody, if you’re going to start this argument again, then I’ll leave.” Mina turned to get up.