Read Online The Forgotten Fairytales by Angela Parkhurst - Free Book Online
Authors: Angela Parkhurst
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unable to keep the tension any longer. I cocked my head to the side where Finn stood, staring back and forth at Wolf and I. Even though Wolf had stepped back, we were still close.
“Wolf.” Finn nodded politely and turned back to me. “You okay, Norah? You look kind of pale.”
My breaths came out slow and shaky. Without a good-bye, Wolf stalked off, into the trees outlining the courtyard. “Yeah. I’m fine.” A little too much bite in my tone.
Finn blanched, and weakness spread through me like a vicious virus. So, so weird.
“Was he bothering you?”
“No, we were talking.” I pushed the weirdness aside and smiled at Finn. I hadn’t seen him all day and until now, I forgot how lovely of a smile he had, like sunshine wrapped in two dimples.
“Okay. Do you have lunch plans?”
“Not at all.”
His smile widened. “Come with me.”
I followed him down one of the paths leading away from the school. Small chirps and the gentle sound of wind slipping through wet leaves relaxed me, reminding me of better days. Summer, spring, sunshine.
We stopped in front of weathered building, missing a roof. The walls were jagged and broken, nothing but leftover parts of what used to be. I imaged the structure would have been round, almost tower like, but not more than one story. The bricks were a soft beige, mold and dead foliage stuck between the rotting layers.
Finn stepped forward, brushing away the mass of vines and wilted leaves to unveil a wooden door. The muscles in his back flexed through his sweater as he pushed the door open. Once more the image of him shirtless came to mind. Hopefully they were wrong about him and his drinking. He didn’t seem drunk to me and I had yet to smell alcohol on his breath.
The garden was more brown than green, the skeleton of something that had once been beautiful. The stale breeze stirring the dead leaves was the only sound. No birds, no insects buzzing, no clatter of students, even the noise of my shoes sinking into the dry soil sounded out of place in the silence.
“How did you find this?” I asked.
“My mom and her friends used to hide here and exchange their deepest secrets. This was the only place in the castle no one watched.”
Finn walked to one wall and swept aside a mass of vines, exposing the names carved into the stone. EM + NAT BEST FRIENDS.
A grim smile spread over my lips. It must’ve been nice, having something to remind him of his mom. I had nothing except my reflection in the mirror. Hints of the genetic makeup of a person I never knew. Leaning back, I slid down the wall and exhaled. What a great friendship that must’ve been, one so permanent you felt the need to carve it in stone. I never had that.
“This has always been a secret of mine. “ Finn sat beside me. His attention was off in the distance; following the vines to the small opening at the top where I imagined birds flew in and out of during the spring. “I come here when I want to escape, clear my head.”
My eyes closed and I imagined myself lying on the beach in Monte Carlo, sipping some fruity concoction from a fancy glass while flipping through magazines I didn’t understand. What I wouldn’t give to be there again, to be anywhere with my dad. I missed him so, so much.
“Tell me what’s bothering you.”
“How do you know something’s bothering me?” I asked.
“I can tell. Spill it.”
“Besides the whole classification drama?” I shifted onto the ground and stared at the wall, focusing in on the cracks in the foundation. “My sister is ignoring me and I’m dying to talk to my Dad. I went to the office this morning to sign up on the call log, but they told me I had to come back after classes. This is the longest we’ve gone without a single word.”
“You two are close?”
“He’s always been my best friend.” A chasm spread through my chest, opening wider the more I thought of him.
His thick brows furrowed. “You didn’t have friends back home?”
“We moved
“Wolf.” Finn nodded politely and turned back to me. “You okay, Norah? You look kind of pale.”
My breaths came out slow and shaky. Without a good-bye, Wolf stalked off, into the trees outlining the courtyard. “Yeah. I’m fine.” A little too much bite in my tone.
Finn blanched, and weakness spread through me like a vicious virus. So, so weird.
“Was he bothering you?”
“No, we were talking.” I pushed the weirdness aside and smiled at Finn. I hadn’t seen him all day and until now, I forgot how lovely of a smile he had, like sunshine wrapped in two dimples.
“Okay. Do you have lunch plans?”
“Not at all.”
His smile widened. “Come with me.”
I followed him down one of the paths leading away from the school. Small chirps and the gentle sound of wind slipping through wet leaves relaxed me, reminding me of better days. Summer, spring, sunshine.
We stopped in front of weathered building, missing a roof. The walls were jagged and broken, nothing but leftover parts of what used to be. I imaged the structure would have been round, almost tower like, but not more than one story. The bricks were a soft beige, mold and dead foliage stuck between the rotting layers.
Finn stepped forward, brushing away the mass of vines and wilted leaves to unveil a wooden door. The muscles in his back flexed through his sweater as he pushed the door open. Once more the image of him shirtless came to mind. Hopefully they were wrong about him and his drinking. He didn’t seem drunk to me and I had yet to smell alcohol on his breath.
The garden was more brown than green, the skeleton of something that had once been beautiful. The stale breeze stirring the dead leaves was the only sound. No birds, no insects buzzing, no clatter of students, even the noise of my shoes sinking into the dry soil sounded out of place in the silence.
“How did you find this?” I asked.
“My mom and her friends used to hide here and exchange their deepest secrets. This was the only place in the castle no one watched.”
Finn walked to one wall and swept aside a mass of vines, exposing the names carved into the stone. EM + NAT BEST FRIENDS.
A grim smile spread over my lips. It must’ve been nice, having something to remind him of his mom. I had nothing except my reflection in the mirror. Hints of the genetic makeup of a person I never knew. Leaning back, I slid down the wall and exhaled. What a great friendship that must’ve been, one so permanent you felt the need to carve it in stone. I never had that.
“This has always been a secret of mine. “ Finn sat beside me. His attention was off in the distance; following the vines to the small opening at the top where I imagined birds flew in and out of during the spring. “I come here when I want to escape, clear my head.”
My eyes closed and I imagined myself lying on the beach in Monte Carlo, sipping some fruity concoction from a fancy glass while flipping through magazines I didn’t understand. What I wouldn’t give to be there again, to be anywhere with my dad. I missed him so, so much.
“Tell me what’s bothering you.”
“How do you know something’s bothering me?” I asked.
“I can tell. Spill it.”
“Besides the whole classification drama?” I shifted onto the ground and stared at the wall, focusing in on the cracks in the foundation. “My sister is ignoring me and I’m dying to talk to my Dad. I went to the office this morning to sign up on the call log, but they told me I had to come back after classes. This is the longest we’ve gone without a single word.”
“You two are close?”
“He’s always been my best friend.” A chasm spread through my chest, opening wider the more I thought of him.
His thick brows furrowed. “You didn’t have friends back home?”
“We moved
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