The Mind Readers, Book 1

  Chapter 4

  “You sure they won’t mind that I’m coming with you?” Annabeth was so nervous it was making my stomach roll. I really, really wished she’d keep her emotions to herself. I hadn’t been this nervous since we’d moved here.

  “They’re not going to kick you out,” I said, slipping my arm through hers as we made our way up Emily’s sidewalk. That was exactly what Anne was thinking they’d do. As if they’d scream she wasn’t popular enough and toss her from the house. I almost laughed at the idea, but didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

  Heck, I wasn’t even sure if Emily still wanted me to come to her party as she’d barely talked to me the past week. It was also the last time I’d talked to Lewis, even though, oddly, we had every class together. Emily had been on him like a freaking tick on a deer. She was jealous I’d gotten to hang out with the hot new guy.

  I hadn’t had a chance to question him about his odd comment, and honestly, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to. All I wanted to do tonight was get lost in a rush of teenage hormones. I was determined to make my last year of school as normal as possible. Yet, as much as I tried to stop thinking about him, Lewis was never far from my mind.

  “It’s too bad we can’t, say, read minds. Then perhaps we’d know the killer’s identity.”

  I’d caught him looking at me a few times during the week, but other than a passing glance he’d seemed to have forgotten my existence. And it irked. For one moment I’d thought I wasn’t alone, that someone finally understood me. The moment had passed and I began to wonder if I’d imagined his odd comments and attention.

  The front door burst open and Trevor stumbled outside. His hair was mussed, his blue t-shirt half untucked from his jeans; already wasted even though the party had just started. “Hey,” he muttered, then leaned over and threw up in the bush, producing a wrenching sound that made me want to gag in kind.

  Annabeth gasped like a mother who’d just heard her kid curse for the first time. Well, she’d wanted to go to these parties; she should get used to it. I shook my head, laughing. “Every party starts the same way. I swear I don’t understand why anyone wants to go to these.”

  I was getting bored with them to be honest, but I couldn’t stand to be home tonight with only my thoughts keeping me company.

  Anne shrugged, flushing. “It’s just nice to be included.”

  I brushed off my guilt. Sometimes I forgot that Anne wasn’t as popular as the rest of my friends. She was hoping that would change tonight, I wanted to tell her not to hold her breath. Not because Anne didn’t deserve to be popular, but because my friends were…to be blunt…kind of asses.

  As we made our way into the huge foyer of Emily’s home, or should I say mansion, Anne gasped again. “Oh my God.”

  “I know,” I said with a sigh. And I did. I didn’t need to read minds to know exactly what she was feeling because I’d felt it the first time I’d gone to Emily’s too. A loser…who didn’t belong here, unless I was serving food. From the marble floors to the crystal chandelier hanging above, Emily’s home reeked of money.

  “Hey, you think they’ll care if George comes by? I told him to pick me up at ten.”

  I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. A twenty-five year old hanging out at a high school party? What was his deal? “Yeah, sure, its fine.” But I knew better. Emily would have a fit. It was one thing to bring quiet and unassuming Annabeth, but her loser boyfriend wouldn’t exactly be welcomed with open arms.

  We made our way through the throng of dancing kids in the living room, their cups of illegal beer splashing onto the floor as they jumped and spun in a mock imitation of dancing. They looked like ducklings trying to fly.

  Emily held this party every year when her parents went to Boston for some conference. Usually the next day I’d help her clean. Correction, I’d clean. Instinctively, I searched for her familiar blonde hair. I admit I did kind of miss her, or her company anyway, now that the excitement of Savannah’s death had faded. Over a week and still not one suspect. People were nervous, but had started to assume the murderer had been merely traveling through town. I wasn’t sure what to believe. For the most part, it was back to homework, sports and flirting.

  “There’s Emily,” Anne yelled over the pounding music.

  I glanced toward the French doors that led to the back patio. I’d been in this house so many times I knew it as well as Emily did. Her parents had practically adopted me. Even though I knew they thought of me as a charity case, I didn’t care. Emily’s family was the closest I’d come to a real life.

  She was easily noticeable standing near the doors. Only Emily could get away with wearing a super mini skirt and tight white t-shirt that did little to cover her red bra. I felt Anne’s envy tickle the back of my neck. I understood it well for I’d had the same feeling often enough, but I’d learned how to deal with my emotions. Plus, I knew the truth. Emily’s life wasn’t all roses and kittens. Emily tossed her hair back and laughed as she leaned in, pressing her huge boobs to some pathetic guy with dark hair. I started to snort in disgust when something about the set of his shoulders, and the curl of his hair sent warning bells through my head.

  I stiffened as realization hit.

  Lewis.

  My heart stopped for a brief moment. I couldn’t seem to move, couldn’t stop staring as anger washed through me in a sickening wave that left me shaking. Her hands fisted in his vintage New York t-shirt. Bunching the material, she pulled him closer. Bile rose in my throat. She was going to kiss him and he was going to let her. I realized, in that panicked moment, I didn’t want them to kiss. She could have Trevor, she could even have Kevin, but she couldn’t have Lewis too.

  Lewis turned his head and met my gaze. I should’ve been startled by his sudden attention, but I was only relieved that he had finally noticed me. Emily was saying something, trying to regain his attention, but he didn’t break eye contact with me. In fact, he moved away from her and started toward us, those broad shoulders easily pushing aside everyone else. He was tall and lean, like a swimmer. I couldn’t help but be attracted to him. My heart thundered madly in my chest. I could barely hear Anne’s chatter. The music faded, the people around me faded. There was only me and Lewis.

  “I…I need some air,” I think I said.

  Before Anne could follow I darted toward the open doors and into the backyard, leaving Lewis and Emily behind. I was abandoning Anne and I’d feel bad about it later, but at the moment I needed to worry about my own survival.

  Truth was, I didn’t really believe Lewis had murdered Savannah. The person who had murdered Savannah couldn’t hide his thoughts. But that didn’t mean I trusted Lewis. And I certainly didn’t trust my feelings around him. I liked him, a lot. So did Emily, and Emily always won. I wasn’t about to set myself up for humiliation…again. Besides, soon school would be over and I’d be off to college. What did it matter?

  The evening air cooled my heated skin. Reality rushed back on the breeze and I could breathe again. A few students were outside, some making out in the shadows, others hanging around the pool. Sarah, the attention whore, had even jumped in with her clothes on and was currently screaming and splashing for help. I shook my head, disgusted with her antics. Even more disgusted with what my life had become. I was hiding in the shadows, for God’s sake, becoming the very person my grandma wanted.

  Not wanting to make conversation, I moved toward the perimeter of the yard where the trees thickened and the woods spread out into a forest so dense, you couldn’t help but wonder what was lurking out there. How I loved coming here where no one could read my thoughts. If I didn’t turn on the charm and win Emily back, I would lose her, my status, and any sense of normalcy I had. But did I care anymore?

  “Hey.”

  Lewis’ voice caught me off guard. I froze there, in the shadows of two maple trees that had lost their leaves days ago. Of course I was surprised that Lewis had followed me. Surprised and thrilled, although I kn
ew Emily wouldn’t be.

  With my heart racing in my chest, slowly, I turned. “What do you want?”

  I couldn’t see his face in the darkness and I wanted so badly to read his features. “Sheesh, nice attitude when I’m just being friendly.”

  “Bull.” I crossed my arms over my chest, a defensive action, as if that could keep him from reading my mind. I suddenly felt cold and warm at the same time, like I was getting sick. Wouldn’t that just be the icing on the cake, if I puked all over his Adidas. “You want something, I just haven’t figured out what yet.”

  He shrugged and leaned his palm on the tree. His hand was next to my head, close to me, too close. He smelled like soap and minty toothpaste and something else, something warm and lovely, something that made my insides twist. “Maybe I just want to be friends.”

  Maybe I would puke after all. Fun. He wanted to be friends. Story of my life where guys were concerned.

  He looked away, his eyes sparkling with humor, as if hearing some unspoken joke.

  I stiffened, realizing the joke could be me. Crap! Had he just read my mind? Oh God, think boring thoughts…the tree. I flattened my palms to the rough bark. The tree. Yes, the tree was nice, the fall colors, the bark brown...

  “I think you need a friend.”

  I laughed a little hysterically, my attention slipping unwillingly back to him. “No, I don’t.”

  He reached out and took a strand of my hair in his hands, twirling the lock around his finger. It was a romantic action, something a boyfriend would do. Not a friend.

  “A good friend.” He dropped the lock and looked directly into my eyes. I couldn’t seem to breathe as I waited for his next words, as if they were the most important words I’d ever hear. “Someone who understands you and what you’re going through.”

  “And you do?” I whispered, daring him to answer.

  “More than you think.”

  He was admitting it. Practically admitting he could read minds, wasn’t he? Confused, shocked, I wasn’t sure how to respond. Was he playing with me?

  He smiled, a slow smile. “I think I like you.”

  Such simple words, such silly words, so why did my heart stop beating and sigh with ridiculous longing? I wanted to push him away and run home to the safety of my small cottage. I wanted to pull him close and kiss him, taste his lips. What was it about this guy that had me so confused?

  “I think…” He looked away briefly as if carefully weighing his next words. “I think we could be very good together.”

  Good together? A warm tingle spread across my back. Okay, I was no expert, but I was pretty sure that was boyfriend talk. “I thought you were interested in Emily.”

  He laughed, a deep chuckle. “No. How can I be? She doesn’t understand.”

  “Understand what?” I latched onto the word and dared him once again to tell the truth; to stop beating around the bush.

  He was silent for one long moment, his gaze drilling into mine, so intense that I had to stop myself from looking away.

  “You know. Surely you know,” he said softly.

  Frantic to hear the truth, I gripped his shirt much like Emily had done earlier. The guy was going to be a wrinkled mess by the time he returned home. My mind spun with the possibility of knowing another like me. “Tell me, Lewis. Tell me the truth.”

  But he just stood there, merely staring at me, his face so close to mine his breath was warm across my lips. And I wanted him to tell me, and I wanted him to kiss me. Which I wanted more, I wasn’t sure.

  “Are you two coming back inside or what?” Emily’s shrill voice echoed across the garden. I felt her anger like a slap, breaking through our haze of lust. The vile words she called me inside her thoughts sort of ruined the mood. The entire garden glanced our way and I could’ve killed her for drawing attention to us.

  I stiffened, but Lewis didn’t move away immediately. He didn’t fear Emily and her retribution. But I did. Reading minds wouldn’t help if she decided I was her mortal enemy. I shoved my hands into his hard chest and pushed him back. The girl was as vindictive as she was arrogant. He finally moved aside and I got my first look at Emily. She was furious all right, that perfect face flushed red.

  “It’s one thing to invite your pathetic friend to my party, but to have her loser boyfriend here as well?”

  “What?” Lewis had made me stupid and I was confused for a moment, but quickly realized she was talking about Anne. George had arrived. I no longer cared about myself, but was more worried about Annabeth.

  I pushed passed the few students on the patio and made my way into the house, Lewis forgotten. Anne stood near the fireplace, clinging to some tall guy. I paused, surprised that he was as good-looking in person as he’d been in Anne’s mind. He leaned down toward a beaming Anne and gave her a quick kiss.

  “Ughh,” Emily sighed in disgust, pausing next to me.

  She was pissed that even someone as frumpy as Anne had landed a decent guy and she had no one at the moment. She’d already moved on, growing bored with Kevin. What else did she want?

  “We’ll leave,” I snapped.

  She didn’t want me to leave and for a moment I felt her panic. If I left, she wouldn’t have anyone to torment, anyone to make her feel important. “What are you talking about?”

  I had to resist the urge to smirk. “If you don’t want Annabeth here, we’ll leave.”

  She laughed a forced, desperate sound. “You’re so dramatic.”

  Anne started toward me, her face beaming, her boyfriend reluctantly followed. My attention moved away from Anne and landed on George, focusing on his thoughts. He was nervous. He felt silly being around such a younger group. Good, he should feel silly. Still, I kind of felt sorry for him and I knew Emily would tear him down the moment she got the chance. I wasn’t going to let that happen.

  They stopped in front of us. “George, this is Cameron.”

  He smiled at me and shook my hand. Dead giveaway that he was old. No one my age shook hands. His palm was damp too, showing his nerves. I had to resist the urge to swipe my hand on my jeans.

  “Hey, nice to meet you.” He had soft brown eyes. Nice eyes, I supposed.

  “You too,” I said, giving him a friendly smile. Although I still had my misgivings about him, I’d been brought up to be polite. I just hoped we could escape before Emily had her fun.

  “Lewis.” Lewis brushed by me, introducing himself and shaking George’s hand.

  I stiffened, surprised to see him. Usually I was warned by a person’s thoughts when they appeared. But not Lewis, no, of course not. My mind went back to our conversation. He was going to admit he could read thoughts. I knew it. Damn Emily for interrupting.

  “George and I are going to Lakeside. Wanna come?” Anne whispered, apparently hoping Emily wouldn’t overhear.

  “They reopened?” Emily asked, a sneer to her voice.

  Anne blushed, the color clashing with her red hair. “Yeah, yesterday.”

  Emily crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, as if we weren’t good enough to stare directly at. “Gross, I could never eat there after what happened.”

  “She wasn’t killed inside the restaurant,” Anne muttered, showing some backbone.

  “It’s still insensitive.” Emily brushed her hair back and sashayed away, fully expecting me to follow. As if her gossiping about the body wasn’t insensitive. She was hoping I’d turn Anne down flat and scurry after her. She was contemplating forgiving me if I did. She obviously didn’t know me that well.

  “Don’t listen to her,” I said.

  “You want to come?” Anne asked, her large brown eyes pleading. She wanted George to think she had a lot of friends, that she wasn’t some loser like Emily obviously thought.

  “Sure we will,” Lewis answered for me like he had the right.

  I jerked my head toward him. What was he doing? How dare he. Besides, I had no desire to hang out with Anne and George. I wanted to go home, wher
e I could be alone with my thoughts, and only my thoughts. He glanced down at me and smiled. A knowing smile, as if he realized exactly what I was thinking.

  “Oh, great.” Anne grabbed George’s hand, the two of them more than ready to leave.

  “Just a minute.” I latched onto Lewis’ arm and pulled him a few feet away, where the music would cover our conversation. “What are you doing?”

  He shrugged. “She wanted us to go with, obviously.”

  “So, why do you care? You don’t even know her.”

  “Just because I don’t know someone doesn’t mean I can’t care. Haven’t you ever helped someone you didn’t know?”

  I looked away, ashamed. Not really. I played it safe, as Grandma had taught me. And yes, it made me feel guilty as hell. Anne obviously was floundering for some support and I wasn’t willing to give it to her. Here was Lewis, some new guy, helping out my friend when I hadn’t.

  “What will it hurt?” He rested his hand on my arm. His touch was warm, comforting in a way I didn’t want to admit or really understand. “We—”

  I killed her.

  I stiffened and jerked my head toward the dancing couples. Teenagers were writhing and squirming around the living room, laughing, kissing, talking in a big blur of movement and thought.

  God, it felt good.

  I shoved my hand into Lewis’ chest, pushing him back. My heart pounded frantically against my ribcage. The killer was here. I rushed into the throng of people. Music pulsed around me, beating heavily against my body, taunting me almost.

  The urge is too strong. I have to find another.

  I spun around, fear and panic bitterly cold. Damn it! Who was it? I wouldn’t let the guy escape again.

  So many to pick from.

  The words whispered through my mind, barely distinguishable from the other thoughts in my head. But he was close, so close he was practically beside me. A tremble raked my body. Slowly, I turned.

  “Ready?” Anne asked eagerly.

  I lifted my attention from her excited gaze and focused on her boyfriend. George was smiling down at me, those soft brown eyes suddenly hard.

  Maybe I’ll pick her next.