Free The Forgotten Fairytales by Angela Parkhurst

opportunity to run track or be a cheerleader. But I was so not cheerleader material and traveling made me worldly. How many seventeen-year-olds could say that?
    “The headmaster told me April’s doing well. I know you two aren’t together now, but the separation might do you two some good. She’s never had to be on her own before. Hell, neither have I. At least this is practice for when you go off to college and leave me. But she did tell me that you’ve been having a hard time making friends.”
    “It’s not what—”
    “Tell me it isn’t so, pumpkin? You’ve always been a magnet.”
    My jaw dropped, he sounded like one of our therapists. April was not adjusting. She wouldn’t even speak to me! Then it struck me hard in the face. Telling Dad the truth did no good. Not now. Not after Madrina told him otherwise. She made me look like some horrible daughter who didn’t fit in and April a saint. My fists clenched at my sides and tears built inside.
    The nerve to tell him the truth faded. “No, I’m doing fine here.”
    “I’m going to France for a week, not sure what my signal will be like, but I’ll keep my phone at my side as much as possible.”
    An elderly woman came to my desk and tapped on her arm. Time’s up.
    “All right.” I choked back a sob. “Send me a postcard?”
    “Deal. I love you, kiddo.” Thoughts of France danced in my head. The museums were some of my favorite. When I was younger, Dad and I raced up the Eiffel Tower. My feet hurt for days, but I didn’t care.
    “Love you, too, Dad.”
    I batted away the tears and sunk in the seat. The line clicked over. Fifteen minutes. That was all the time I’d had to hear his voice and yet I’d told him nothing. How could I be saved from this miserable fairy tale craziness if I didn’t have the courage to tell my dad the truth?
    I wandered out of the office and into the empty halls. Classes had ended and students were in their dorms. Danielle said something about a mixer tonight, but I didn’t want to go anywhere but the dorm where I could cry into my pillow and hate myself for my inability to tell Dad.
    I crossed the courtyard and stopped in the middle, unable to make it any further. Leaning against the wall, I slid down, trying to steady my breathing. It wouldn’t take long to pack. I could easily slip out at night and run away. April would never know because she refused to say a freaking word to me. If I showed up on his doorstep he couldn’t refuse me.
    The door leading to the courtyard opened and a girl stumbled out. Her cardigan caught on the door. Balancing books on one hip, she tried to unhook her cardigan, but couldn’t. Long, straggly pieces of blonde hair fell over her thick glasses. It was the same girl from the first day but I didn’t know her name, even though we had two classes together.
    Using the rock for support, I pushed myself up and hurried toward her, wiping the tears from my eyes. She didn’t even notice me till I tugged the material from the door and set her free. Lowering her head, she cowered away. I saw firsthand how ugly people were to her, calling her names, throwing objects. I hated it. Bullies were the scum of the Earth.
    “Thanks.” Even with the scar, she was beautiful. Only the edges contorted, the rest of her face was smooth and blemish free. Plus, the way her hair fell, you barely saw it.
    “No problem.” I smiled half heartedly. “I don’t think we met, like, officially. I’m Norah.” Norah who doesn’t like to shake hands and this girl didn’t offer, which made me like her already.
    “Kate.”
    “You’re really good with potions, right?” Her eyes shifted away from mine. “Any advice? I can’t seem to master any of these classes, which is not normal for me considering my dad is a professor. Well, more of a wannabe novelist, but still.”
    Kate narrowed her eyes and a wave of irritation filled them. “You don’t have to pretend to be nice to me.”
    I blanched. “Why would I