“You do as of eight o'clock this morning.” Mr. Linton gave a sly smile.
Hopefully, he hadn’t changed mine. I couldn’t afford anything to throw me off. Not if I wanted that scholarship. I couldn’t depend on my parents to put me through college since their children barely made it on their radar. Plus, they'd lost their life savings when the stock market crashed.
The principal held out a slip of paper and waved it in front of Hayden. “Your new class schedule.”
Hayden snatched the sheet and scanned it. “You can’t do this. Not one class is the same.” He flicked at the yellow paper with his middle finger. “This one is too advanced. I’ll drown in it.”
The panic in his eyes almost made me feel sorry for him.
“You were drowning anyway. Let’s face it: you haven’t exactly been giving it your all. I’d say you’ve made a poor start of the semester.” Mr. Linton sighed. “Make a choice, Hayden. Decide you’re going to do something with your life, then see it through. This is your chance to change things. I can erase the past, to a degree, but it’s up to you to shape your future.”
No one moved. The seconds stretched on while Hayden scowled at the slip of paper. I prayed he would say no. There had to be another way.
“Fine. I’ll do it,” he growled.
My heart sank. If he couldn’t find someone to help him catch up on his classes, I might end up with the dirty job. Ugh. Really, I had better things to do — like set my hair on fire or pull out my fingernails one by one. My shifts at Delia’s Deli didn’t start until dinnertime, which only left the afternoon for my own studies. Still, it’s not as if I could ignore Hayden if he needed help, especially if he watched over me and whatnot.
“Good.” Mr. Linton smiled. “You’ll start by walking Tessa to class but I need a word with her in private first. We’ll send her out shortly.”
Hayden’s chair scraped across the floor and he headed toward the door, giving me a perfect view of his spectacular behind. Agent Philips shut the door then moved to stand next to Mr. Linton on the other side of the desk.
Good. With Hayden gone, I could get down to the important stuff. “So, what’s going on? Is my family in danger?”
She tightened her lips. “We think they’re after you.”
My stomach dropped. “Me? Why?”
Agent Phillips and Mr. Linton exchanged glances. “You really don’t know?” he asked.
I shook my head and wiggled my fingers, hoping to shake off the tension.
“You’ve never noticed anything about yourself, anything… special?” he prodded.
“Not that I can think of. Just your average girl.” My voice rose an octave on the last word.
“Actually, nothing about you is average, and it's time you knew it all.” Mr. Linton sat very still then folded his hands together, his eyes boring into mine. “There are a small number of us with extraordinary abilities. We can do things that, well, defy science.”
I stared, wondering if he might’ve, say, escaped from a mental hospital.
“Agent Phillips, would you provide Ms. McClean with a demonstration?”
“Of course.” She nodded professionally. “Let's start with something easy. Tessa, think of something but don’t tell me what it is. Get a solid picture of it in your mind.”
Without meaning to play along with their psycho game, our long-haired German shepherd that died last year popped into my head.
“German shepherd, huh? I had you pegged for a lapdog lover. The little white fluffy ones that yap a lot.” Agent Phillips smiled smugly.
No way could she read my mind. No way. Then, a surge of calm came over me. Oh, I get it. She’d researched my family, like they had with Hayden, and she’d gotten lucky.
“Good one. Try again.” I pictured some clothes I’d seen last week through the display window of my favorite store at the mall. It would be impossible for anyone to know about that particular outfit I’d been lusting after and couldn’t afford.
“Cute outfit. A bit skimpy for my taste, but it would’ve looked cute on you. That store is a bit on the expensive side though, don’t you think?”
Goosebumps danced across my skin. “How can you know that?”
“We have an array of abilities, ranging from mind reading to telekinesis, but usually a particular talent will stand out. That particular ability is our specialty,” Linton explained. “Agent Phillips excels at reading minds, so images come in sharper for her. She’s a Reader, although the name isn’t entirely accurate since we’re not really reading minds. It’s more like picking up pictures. Sometimes they’re moving, kind of like a video. Then there are Movers who take rearranging matter to a whole new level.”
“You're both crazy." I edged toward the door. "This has to be a trick. People can't see into other people’s heads.”
“One more time,” she said. “After three in a row, maybe you’ll consider the possibility this is real.”
An image of a nearly naked guy snuck into my head, biceps bulging, abdomen muscles rippling.
“Try to keep it G-rated, huh?” Agent Phillips chuckled. “Between you and Hayden, I’m going to have a hard time purging my mind of unclean thoughts.”
I didn’t want to imagine what she’d picked from Hayden’s twisted mind. And anyway, there were more important things to think about. I turned to Mr. Linton, wondering what my stalkers had to do with Agent Phillips and her interesting abilities.
“You think I can read minds too?” I asked.
“Yes,” he answered confidently.
I almost believed him. Agent Phillips clearly had some kind of mojo-thing going on. Possibly Principal Linton, too. But me? The idea that I had special powers was too ridiculous to consider so I abandoned it. They had the wrong girl. “What about you? Can you do anything cool, Mr. Linton?”
“We all have a specialty, even you,” he answered.
It was one thing to have some minor psychic ability, like Agent Phillips, but I couldn’t completely buy into all their magical crap. Curiosity got the better of me though. I leaned forward, rested my chin in my hands, elbows on his desk, and asked, “What’s yours?”
“My talent is rare. I’m a Detector. I find gifted people like you.”
“Then you’re not a very good one, ’cause I’m seriously normal. C’mon, this is Scottsdale, Arizona, not New York or Vegas. Not much happens here.” Granted it was the nicer side of Phoenix and my parents got by, but we’d never been wealthy. I couldn’t think of a single thing anyone would want from me or my family. Certainly, no one would want me for my magical powers.
“My radar is never off.”
“He’s like a pregnancy test.” Agent Phillips leaned a hip into the desk. “You only get false negatives. Sometimes it’s there and we don’t pick up on it. But if we pick it up, it’s definitely there.”
Mr. Linton groaned. “I wish you’d stop comparing me to a pregnancy test.”
She waved a hand. “But it’s the perfect analogy.”
“You just pick them from a crowd?” I asked, still skeptical.
“Not really,” Mr. Linton said. “We look for kids that stand out. Maybe they get better than average grades, like you. Sometimes it’s the ones who get into trouble. Sorcerers need to be challenged otherwise they tend to go astray. From there we narrow it down.”
I scoffed. “Sorcerers, huh? Like witches or wizards?”
“Witches, wizards, sorcerers — same thing,” Mr. Linton explained.
I smiled, feeling very sure of myself. “If I’m a witch, where have my magical powers been hiding?”
“Only a few are aware of their ability when we find them. Just because you’re not conscious of your skills doesn’t mean they don’t exist. We’re conditioned to believe that we can’t do anything unusual. Therefore, we don’t try. If something odd happens, we brush the source off as something else.”
“Okay.” I still didn’t believe they were right about me. But Ms. Phillips’s little demonstration fascinated me and I was dying to know wha
t kind of a superhero they thought I might be. “What’s my special ability?”
“Too soon to tell,” the principal said.
“Hm… do you guys use spells and make potions?” I grinned.
“We generally rely on our own powers rather than summoning spirits to do it for us,” he explained.
“I’m assuming you didn’t detect anything in Hayden and that’s why you asked him to leave.”
“Yes,” Mr. Linton said. “We keep our existence under the utmost secrecy. Which is why you can’t tell anyone. Your parents must never know.”
“They don’t know?” My jaw hung slack. Then I reminded myself that my parents were oblivious to their children. I’d have to handle this on my own, like I did everything else. It seemed a little odd though that if I were truly in trouble, they wouldn’t tell my parents. I was still a minor. Then I got it. Duh. “You’re not really FBI, are you?”
“No. It was a cover, so Hayden would buy our story.” She picked up a paperweight off Linton’s desk, eyed it, then set it down.
“But why all the secrecy?” I asked.
She shook her head and mumbled, “You have no idea.”
“Some of us remember the witch trials of Salem. I was there and barely escaped being burned alive. And it all started because of one little girl who didn’t understand why it was so important to keep her mouth shut.” Mr. Linton didn’t sound mean or anything. Just… intense.
Agent Phillips gave him a disapproving look.
He rounded his desk to stand over me. “We’ll see you in the auditorium later instead of PE. Have Hayden drop you off there.”
I rose reluctantly. “But I have more questions.”
“They’ll keep,” he said. “We don’t want Hayden waiting when he could be in class playing catch-up. He’s got his work cut out for him.”
Mr. Linton ushered me out the door.
Hayden lagged several feet behind as I walked to class. That’s about what I’d expected, since he thought I was beneath him. For years, I’d avoided him and his friends. If you caught their attention, you risked intimidation or snubbing. Now I had no choice. Thankfully, as my protector, that sort of thing wouldn’t be part of his job description.
As we neared the classroom, he caught up and I snuck a glance at him. His light brown hair hung almost to his swimmer’s shoulders, framing dark gray eyes and flawless skin. His good looks were marred only by a nose that didn’t quite sit straight, as if it had been broken, and by a faint inch-long scar on his cheek. Not the most beautiful guy I’d ever laid eyes on, but definitely the most interesting. No wonder he ruled the school.
When we got to class, Hayden took the only empty spot at the back of the room where I couldn’t see him. My thoughts kept drifting to him though. And I couldn’t forget what happened in the principal’s office.
Chapter Three
Hayden
During my first class with Tessa, my thoughts were filled with the deal I’d made with Mr. Linton. His words haunted me: It was up to me to make my future.
My stepfather’s words haunted me too. Since the day Sam married my mom, he’d taken the opportunity to knock me around or remind me that I’d never amount to anything — over and over, any time we were alone. So I set out to prove him right — I was being accused of it anyway. Besides, I wanted him to feel the humiliation every time the school called and his bad parenting was blamed for my inappropriate behavior.
But I didn’t need to do that anymore. Sam, though still a scumbag, no longer held any power over me. And I was old enough now that the teachers blamed me for my behavior. Mr. Linton’s offer made me wonder what I’d do once graduation was over — if I graduated.
I had no idea if our new principal could be trusted to hold up his end of the bargain. If not, there would be nothing lost since people generally didn’t rise above my low expectations anyway. Still, what if he came through? Everything could change for me. I only had to keep my nose clean and bring up my grades. How hard could that be?
There it was… the beginning of hope. The dwindling spiral of moral degradation had been my playground for so long that I’d forgotten what it was like to have hope for something good. But misery lurked in the recesses of my mind, ready to jump in should the hope be squashed.
Outside our class, Tessa laughed with another girl. Her smile made her already beautiful face absolutely mesmerizing. I could’ve stared forever and didn’t mind her thinking of me as an ass for ogling. But I preferred not looking like a stalker.
I pulled out my cell and pretended to text.
Tessa chatted away, not even glancing around to see if I waited for her. As if I had nothing better to do than cater to her. She’d make us both late and my first step toward a fresh start could be screwed up because Barbie wanted to giggle with her friend. A moment later, her eyes met mine.
“See you at lunch,” she told the girl.
“It’s about time,” I said.
“So you’re still doing this, huh? I wasn’t sure you’d be waiting.”
“Yeah, well, a deal’s a deal. But listen…” I started down the hallway. “My job is to keep you safe, which I can do from ten feet behind you. We don’t need to hang out any more than necessary.”
She stopped abruptly and held out her hand, palm up. “Your cell phone.”
“Why do you want it?” I reached into my pocket.
“Just give it to me.” Her fingers skittered across the keys of my cell phone, then she handed it back. “Keep your distance, Hayden. I welcome it. Really. When you need me, you can call. But a guy like you shouldn’t have to bother remembering my name, so I programmed myself in your contacts as Beneath Me. Now every time you see that, you’ll remember I’m beneath you. Even though you obviously don’t need the reminder.”
Wow. The girl had an attitude. Funny, but her inferiority wasn’t what came to mind with those words. I got a vivid visual of her on her back with nothing covering her but me. It was an unwelcome thought considering our differences in personality and reputation.
She took a seat in our next class while I waited to find out where the teacher would place me. I ended up right beside Tessa.
And I couldn’t get that image of her underneath me out of my head.
* * * *
I whipped out my cell on the way to the cafeteria, powering it up. I’m behind you, I texted Beneath Me. Damn, I’d have to change that to her real name. But until then, I’d play along. If u were beneath me, I’d know.
Must u b so creepy? she texted back.
I chuckled and picked a seat with the guys where I could see her without craning my neck.
“Saw you with Blondie earlier? Hit and ditch?” Brad grinned. He may have lacked compassion toward his inferiors, but he always had my back. Pure mean with a side of dimples. The girls dug him — probably because he treated them like garbage. “And what’s with the class changes, dude? Lab was totally lame without you.”
The principal didn’t request confidentiality but I didn’t feel right telling my friends the whole truth since that involved telling them why Tessa needed protecting. If she wanted it known that she and her family were being stalked, it was her story to share, not mine.
“Mr. Linton suggested I ask Tessa for help. You know, get some tutoring. He thought it might be easier if we had the same classes.” I shrugged. “I don’t get it but whatever.”
Linton hadn’t actually suggested that Tessa help me but it was the only excuse I could think of. Certainly, my eyes would appreciate having her in front of me instead of one of the school nerds. But would she be willing to do that — or at least pretend, so my friends would buy it?
From the corner of his eye, Brad checked out Tessa who sat several tables away. “If you happen to get her naked, all the better.”
“I wouldn’t mind hitting that.” Skyler grinned, his white teeth practically the only thing visible underneath the mass of long blond, wavy hair.
I cringed at the thought of Brad or Skyler going near h
er. A girl like Tessa would be eaten alive by the guys I associated with. But that wasn’t my problem. My responsibility ended at preventing bodily harm.
Skyler was right though. She was hot.
“Neither would I,” I said.
Chapter Four
Tessa
Hayden and his friends sat across the cafeteria. I would have preferred eating off campus but all seniors were restricted to school grounds for the next month due to a mysterious incident involving “some of the seniors,” the principal had announced. My guess was those seniors were associated with Hayden or his friends.
Nadia jerked her head toward them, her black bangs falling over her brows. “What’s with the parade of jackass stares? They’ve ignored us all year. Now they can’t take their eyes off us. Well, mostly you.”
Hayden was doing what he was supposed to do. It wasn’t personal. The only reason I had his friends’ attention was because I already had Hayden’s.
“Creepy.” Corinne grimaced at the guys.
Bryce cast a quick glance at them. “Yep. Creepy.” Then he returned his gaze to his food and continued eating.
Just great. Hayden made himself look bad enough without my friends thinking he was stalking me. Not that I should care but I had to tell them something since we’d eventually be seen together. I focused on my sloppy joe while deciding what to say.
The sound of clattering trays and thrown dishes interrupted my thoughts. Brad held a skinny boy by the throat against the surface of a lunch table. “What did you say?” Brad’s voice carried over the stunned silence in the cafeteria.
Skyler sneered. “Dude, I think you’d better apologize to the man.”
“I-I said I don’t have any lunch money. My mom prepaid.” The dark-haired boy struggled under Brad’s hold. Judging by the size of him, I’d guess he was a couple years behind us.
I looked on in disgust. Lunch money? The guys were like one big cliché. Worse, they didn’t need the money since their parents were rich. For them, it was a game.
I scanned the lunchroom. Not a teacher in sight. I wished I could help the kid. One day, if I ever really did have magical powers, I’d do something about those bullies.