"unless i kill him," mina said the words softly. they hurt like gravel coming out of her mouth, but she had to say them.

"yes, i'm afraid so." ever stopped walking and leaned against a building for support. "and i'm scared, because i'll think you'll do it." her shoulders started to shake silently.

"you love him," nan said, a bit dumbfounded.

"duh! and this gimp here ruined it for me."

"but i don't understand," nan said softly.

ever launched herself away from the wall. her fingers flew to erase the tears from her eyes. "because back then, i wasn't what he wanted. i thought he loved me like i loved him. when he was split, i followed jared, thinking i'd have a chance here. and sure, we dated for a while. but he wasn't happy with me. he was always looking for something or someone. he doesn't love me on this plane either."

"you don't know that." nan tried to soothe ever.

ever sniffed loudly. "it doesn't matter. i don't matter. i see that now."

"what an awful thing to say about yourself," mina said.

"naw, it's the truth. i can't compete with you. never have been able to, never will," ever mumbled.

mina's mouth dropped open at the melancholy compliment.

"unless you die in a horrible accident. then i may have a chance," ever quipped.

"ever, what a horrible thing to say!" nan turned to face the girl, her hands in balled fists on her hips. "y-you...you are not a nice pixie," she stuttered out.

"who said pixies are nice? you have a lot to learn about our kind. pixies are never nice."

mina, used to ever's barbs, intervened. "nan, it's okay. she doesn't really mean it."

"oh, stick up for yourself, mina. how can you let her talk to you that way?" nan shook with anger.

mina had to pull her aside and whisper to her. "because deep down, beneath all of that angst is actually a sweet girl who saved our lives...if you remember. she came here following love, and i destroyed that. she has a right to be angry." ever watched them with distrustful eyes. it was easy to see how much she wanted to hear what was being said.

"fine," nan agreed grudgingly, but she confronted ever, pointing her finger at the pixie's chest. "you've been dealt a low blow with losing jared. but remember, you're not the only one to lose someone they were close to. mina is my best friend. so you better hold your tongue around me, or i'll knock your pretty striped socks off. got it?"

ever looked taken aback and, for a moment, both nan and mina thought they were in for a pixie tantrum. instead, she smiled and her eyes scrunched up in laughter. "deal." ever thrust out her hand to shake.

nan's raised an eyebrow and rubbed her fingers over her chin as if she were debating. "pinky promise?"

ever rolled her eyes. "that's so dumb." nan looked a little hurt at her words, but ever saw and changed her tune. "how about pixie promise?" the wind kicked up as her invisible wings started to beat in excitement.

they finally ended up at lacey's, a small boutique with prom and wedding dresses. the consultant assigned to mina kept giving her disgusted looks.

"what's her problem?" mina asked when the lady hurried away quickly.

nan grimaced and made an apologetic face, but didn't say anything.

mina looked to ever, and the girl shrugged her shoulders before answering. "you kinda stink."

horrified, she looked down at her filthy shoes and then checked her reflection in the full-length mirror. there was a smear of who-knows-what across her t-shirt. her hair was a complete mess, her face had a scratch on it, and her neck was rubbed raw and discolored.

"i'm so sorry. i should have listened and let you go home," nan said sadly.

mina stared at her reflection and started laughing. she laughed so long and hard that eventually ever and nan joined in. she truly looked like a rag tag dirty mouse.

"it doesn't matter. i hate dress shopping anyway. let's get out of here." mina turned to leave and her friends joined her, leaving the stack of dresses untouched in the dressing room. as they passed the consultant, mina swore the woman held her hand over her nose.

the summons from the godmother's guild came by raven later that afternoon at nan's apartment. nan suggested that mina just borrow one of her dresses for the ball, but of course mina insisted on a shower first before trying any on.

mina stood under the hot water letting the heat steam up the mirrors, not caring if she turned nan's bedroom into a sauna. nan and her mom lived in the penthouse apartment with all of the fixings and trimmings that could land them in one of those high style magazines. and unlike mina's own mom, mrs. taylor didn't care how long a hot shower she took.

water cascaded down her face as she stood under the pounding water and hoped it would soothe her nerves and muscles. safe and far away from the scene of the confrontation, the reality that she could've died in the sewer that afternoon was hitting hard. nan seemed to be still running on pure adrenaline after the accident. mina, on the other hand, was falling apart now that she had a minute to herself. she couldn't even turn the shower off her, hands were trembling so badly. she wrapped herself in the terrycloth guest bathrobe and stood in front of the large bathroom mirror. the mirrors were so thoroughly steamed up, there was hardly a reflection.

mina brushed her hand across the mirror to clear a spot to see herself. she picked up a borrowed comb and began to run it through her long brown hair, taking extra care with the snarls. until she saw something that made her drop the comb in the sink. the clatter echoed in the steamy room.

mina grasped the collar of her robe and took a few deep breaths. maybe it had just been her imagination. but she could swear her reflection had started to fade out.

"get a grip," she told herself.

a rapping at the door pulled her attention away-at least for the moment. nan popped her head into the bathroom. "so, um, you have a visitor."

"here?"

nan was beaming and having a hard time keeping her excitement in. "this is the coolest thing ever to happen to me. i mean you. i mean-oh, just get out here."

mina walked out of the bathroom, pulling the robe tighter around herself. after what she thought she saw in the mirror, she really didn't want any more surprises. nan had run back to her sliding glass door and opened it up to reveal a very large black raven sitting on the patio railing. in its mouth was a gold envelope.

"that has your name on it," nan said, entirely too eager and excited about all this.

seeing the bird and the note sent shivers of trepidation down her spine. mina had no desire to go anywhere near the bird. but neither ever nor nan seemed to be scared of the fowl, so she approached with caution. sure enough, her name was scrawled across the front in cursive script. mina had no idea how to actually retrieve the letter. but just when she was about to reach for it, the raven opened up its mouth and dropped the letter on the ground. then it started to flap its wings and lift into the air.

mina stepped back in fright, instinctively holding her hands over her head to protect herself as the bird flew towards her. one minute it was flying, the next it had transformed midair into an impossibly small yorkie and landed on her shoulder. it gently began to butt its head against her cheek, demanding attention.