CHAPTER TEN FILOMENA’S PROMISE

If there’s one thing more shocking than the facts that Never After is a real place and Filomena is an actual princess, it’s that Filomena’s parents are making her go back to school now that she’s home. She begged and pleaded, explaining that school feels so pointless with Mum sick, but they refused.

“If you’re going off on all these quests and adventures in Never After, you have to go to school and learn. That’s the deal,” her mom had said before bed the previous night.

So despite everything—despite fighting Robin Hood and wearing gowns and hopping portals—here she is, back at the same old middle school.

Though, she must admit, school is significantly less dreadful now that the Fettucine Alfredos, her once bullies, are history. So far, no one’s made fun of her outfit (a combo of her purple combat boots and a purple dress), kids are actually saying hi to her in the hallways, and her books have yet to be knocked out of her hands. All in all, it’s not too bad, being back.

It’s almost the end of the day, and it’s actually been a pretty good one. Filomena answered some questions in class, she scored a basket during gym class (has her hand-eye coordination improved?), and a group of girls even told her they dig her purple look—a style tip Filomena carried over from Princess Jeanne’s castle.

Maggie Martin approaches her in the hallway before final period. “Hey, Filomena,” she says.

Filomena has her guard up. The last time she and her ex–best friend spoke, Maggie had made fun of Filomena for still caring about the Never After series. What a laugh. Little did Maggie know, her so-called friends the Pasta Posse were literally from Never After.

“Hi, Maggie, how’s it going?”

“I’m good. You seem so different today. What’s going on with you?”

Filomena immediately feels self-conscious. “Different? How?”

“Like, just a different air about you. You nailed that book analysis in English class. That was sweet. Cool outfit by the way.”

Filomena smiles and shrugs. “Thanks.”

“Look, Filomena, I want to apologize. Those kids I was becoming friends with, they’re total jerks. And I’m sorry I went along with it and didn’t say anything. I was a coward. Now that they’re gone, I realize how awful they were. Also, pretty weird that they all transferred schools at the same time, huh?”

“Yeah, definitely weird,” Filomena says, trying not to laugh.

Even though Maggie is realizing her bad behavior only now that she isn’t a part of the popular group anymore, Filomena still appreciates the apology. After all, Filomena understands what it’s like to be under a spell, and in middle school, popularity is a pretty potent spell.

“So I was thinking … maybe we can hang out again?” Maggie asks shyly.

Filomena smiles. “I’d really like that, Maggie.”

“You have algebra now, right? Want to walk together?”

Filomena and Maggie chat about how Maggie’s joining the volleyball team, the upcoming school dance, and other things Filomena hasn’t thought about in what feels like months. They get to Algebra One Honors and sit next to each other. Fighting with friends really is the worst. Filomena wonders if she’ll ever be on good terms with her friends in both Never After and the mortal world. She and Maggie are just now starting to make up, and it reminds Filomena of how she left things with Gretel, Alistair, and Jack.

Those three were the first to ever help Filomena feel like a capable, cool girl. Around them she feels funny, brave, clever, like she can do anything, because … well, when she’s with them, she sort of can! She can fight ogres and rescue queens and princes and cast spells and prevent the Prophecy coming true …

Oh fairies. She almost forgot about the Prophecy—the Prophecy that says if fairies’ gifts fall into ogres’ hands, it will mean the end of Never After as they know it. The End of the Story. It feels impossible to focus on algebra class now that it’s come to mind. How can she pay attention when the fate of an entire world depends on her?

But maybe it doesn’t depend on her … After all, Jack is taking Little Jeanne’s advice now. Maybe they don’t even need her anymore and she can just stay in North Pasadena and learn algebra forever. Major sigh.

Gretel always makes being biportal look so easy, but Filomena’s having a hard time getting her head adjusted between worlds.

After school, Filomena walks home but finds her house empty. Empty? That’s unusual. Her parents aren’t really the kind to venture out and … Wait a minute. Now that Filomena’s mom is sick, that especially doesn’t make sense.

The home phone starts buzzing. Caller ID says it’s her dad. She picks up.

“Hi, honey,” Carter says. “Are you home okay?”

“Yeah, Dad, but where are you guys?”

“Your mom had a little, uh … accident, Filomena.”

“What do you mean?”

“She was getting a glass of water while I was in my office working on my book, and she … well, honey, she collapsed. So I brought her to the hospital. I didn’t want to trouble you on your first day back at school. The doctors are saying she’s going to have to stay at the hospital for a while. Don’t worry, though; everything is okay. I’ll come pick you up in a few minutes, and we’ll drive to the hospital together.”

Filomena is speechless. This is so much worse than losing a battle. What was she thinking, sitting in algebra class, worrying about stupid prophecies and ogres and feeling jealous of Little Jeanne when, meanwhile, her mom was being hospitalized? Filomena feels so confused. She’s pulled between two crises. What can she do?

She vows not to go back to Never After until her mom is cured.