The Mind Readers

  There was a sudden shift in awareness that caught my flagging attention; almost a collective sigh from the female population. For a brief moment surprise washed over the room, and then curiosity invaded. I looked up. Some guy with brown hair stood next to Mr. Banks, his back to the class. A nice, broad back that filled out his blue polo shirt.

  “Who’s that?” I whispered to Emily, forgetting she was mad at me.

  She narrowed her eyes into an unattractive glare. “How should I know?”

  I brushed off her cattiness, and eager to think about something other than Savannah, I focused on the new student. We’d seen students come and go often. People moving to northern Maine, then realizing how cold it got and after the first couple winters, moving back to wherever they’d come from. He wore jeans that fit him well…really well. I could tell his family had money. I shifted my attention from his butt upward, focusing on his mind.

  The odd thing wasn’t that he was here, but that I couldn’t read anything coming from him. I frowned and focused harder on the guy, even closing my eyes. Nothing but silence.

  Oh my God, he’s cute.

  Emily’s thought slipped into my mind. Curious, I opened my eyes. A clear blue gaze met mine. My heart jumped. He was staring directly at me. Me. Why me?

  Why her? I heard Emily wonder. She wasn’t the only one. Just about every girl in class was wondering why this gorgeous guy was staring at me, wondering if we knew each other. But I didn’t care. I didn’t care in the least. A cold sweat broke out on my body.

  I didn’t want him to stare at me. I didn’t want him to stare because he was the guy from the parking lot…the guy who had killed Savannah.

  ********

  Those mental spokes vibrated, thoughts pouring into my mind from every chair, but for one. His chair. For thirty minutes now he’d sat two chairs behind me, for thirty minutes I could feel his gaze burning into my back. For thirty minutes I’d had to listen to all the girls wondering why he was staring at me. But there was one thought I hadn’t heard. His.

  The bell rang. I bolted from my chair and scurried toward the exit. Emily and Sarah stood by the door, whispering about the new guy and preventing my escape.

  “Excuse me,” I snapped.

  They turned and glared as one. Well, it hadn’t taken Emily long to turn Sarah against me. Just freaking great. All those years of hard work and my status was sinking faster than the Titanic.

  “Cameron,” Mr. Banks called out.

  Crap. I resisted the urge to ignore his voice and bolt out the door. Instead, like the good girl I was, I glanced back. The new guy leaned against Mr. Banks’ desk, watching me. A shiver of unease whispered across my skin. This couldn’t be good. “Yeah?”

  “This is Lewis, he’s new.”

  Obviously.

  Lewis was staring at me, an odd gleam to his blue eyes. Really blue, like the bay in summer. Square jaw, straight nose and those lips… For a murderer, he was cute. He looked away briefly, breaking our connection and I wondered if I’d imagined the amusement in his gaze.

  Mr. Banks was barely paying attention to us, eager to get to the teacher lounge before all the cookies were gone. “Show Lewis around, take him to his next class, will you?”

  No! “Sure.” Wild panic sent my heart racing.

  Lewis smiled, a smile that produced a dimple in his left cheek. For a moment, my panic was forgotten. Oh God, how could I be attracted to a murderer? I was sick.

  “Ready?” he asked, his voice deep and smooth.

  I nodded dumbly and led the way into the hall. I was safe, I mean, I was in the middle of the school, in a hall crowded with people. What could he do? Still, it didn’t stop a cold sweat from breaking out between my shoulder blades.

  “Hello Cameron,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  I nodded, not even bothering to look at him as I tried to think of a way out of this mess. What kind of game was he playing, pretending to be polite? And why the heck couldn’t I read his thoughts? Was he a droid? A robot? Or maybe psychos didn’t have thoughts. I rarely dealt with them, so who knew what they were capable of.

  “Where’s your locker?” I dared to look at him. I was eager to dump him off at his next class and be done with the whole charade.

  He was smiling, although why, I wasn’t sure. He didn’t seem in a hurry, he seemed quite relaxed, his stroll slow and unhurried. Instantly my suspicion grew.

  “I’ve never known anyone in such a hurry to get to class.”

  “Yeah, well, I take school very seriously.” Why did I have to sound like such a loser? Of course the moment that thought popped into my head, I wondered why I cared if this psycho thought I was lame.

  “Here.” He tapped Savannah’s old locker. The locker next to mine.

  I froze, slightly horrified. “What?”

  He frowned. “My locker. It’s here. You all right?”

  “Yeah, sure. Just…” I tried to judge his expression, to understand what he was feeling, if anything. It had been so long since I’d had to read someone based on their body language alone that I found it impossible to know. He looked normal, which was the problem. He didn’t look guilty. Then again, maybe he wasn’t. I’d heard the killer’s thoughts, yet couldn’t hear Lewis.

  His dark brows raised in question. “Just?”

  “Your locker. The girl who died, Savannah, it was her locker.” I could barely get the words out, my voice sounded hollow and muffled. I studied his face for a reaction, but saw only understanding in those blue eyes.

  He nodded slowly. “I see.”

  But I didn’t see. I didn’t see how he could be so calm, act like he cared…unless he hadn’t killed Savannah. Completely confused, I opened my locker and shoved my books inside, trying to focus on his thoughts yet again. Surely if he had killed her he’d be thinking about it right now, wouldn’t he?

  “Did you know her well?” he asked.

  “Well enough that I didn’t want her murdered,” I snapped, my voice harsher than I’d intended. I was angry, angry that I was attracted to a guy who could be a possible murderer, angry that I couldn’t read his thoughts, angry that everyone in this damn school was more worried about their own pathetic problems than the fact that a girl, a living, breathing girl, had died. I didn’t know what I thought anymore.

  “Where do you go next?” I murmured, feeling contrite. After all, I didn’t know for sure. Maybe he hadn’t murdered Savannah.

  “English.”

  I frowned, finding it odd that we were going to the same place. We were silent as we walked slowly to class. I was trying to keep the frantic thoughts of my fellow students from entering my mind. I was way too tired to deal with my own thoughts, let alone everyone else’s.

  “I’m sorry about your friend,” he said and I felt like he meant it, but did he?

  “It’s all right, you didn’t know.” The bell rang and the halls emptied. I grew nervous, realizing we were alone. Then again, if I screamed surely someone would hear me.

  “Do they have any suspects?”

  “No,” I said, wondering why he asked. Everything he said was cause for suspicion.

  He paused near some benches and sat, looking thoughtful. I glanced down the hall at the classroom door. I’d always been a good girl, never skipped class, always did my homework, didn’t smoke or drink…it felt odd knowing I’d be late, as if I was on a path to ruination.

  “What’s sad,” he started, breaking into my thoughts. “Is that someone knows something.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, the murderer. I’m sure he knows a lot.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps bulging. “How do you know it’s a he?”

  Shoot. Heat shot straight to my cheeks. Because the voice in my head had been male. “Most likely.”

  He nodded slowly, his gaze on me the entire time. I found myself shifting under his scrutiny. Did he believe me? “We really should get to class; the principal likes to roam the halls.” It was a lie, but he didn’t need to
know that.

  He grinned. “You don’t lie well.”

  I stiffened, startled by his blunt comment. “I’m not, I’m…”

  He arched a dark brow.

  I took a few steps back. “Fine, I want to go to class, so sue me. Are you coming or not?”

  He didn’t respond for a few moments, his gaze on the wall behind me, as if lost in thought. “Yes, of course the murderer knows what happened.”

  I sighed. Was he going back to that now? Why was he so interested in Savannah’s death, unless he truly was the murderer? I pressed my fingers to my throbbing temples and took a step back, intending to leave him then and there. I had a feeling he was playing some odd game with me, and I’d never liked games.

  “But what I meant,” he stood, looming over me. “Was that usually there is someone else who knows what happened. Someone too afraid to tell the truth. And because of that, a murderer kills again, might even go free.”

  He didn’t look at me as he said the words, but started down the hall. So why then, did I suddenly feel totally guilty?

  He turned, walking a few steps backward. “It’s too bad we can’t, say, read minds.” He flashed a brilliant smile as my heart slammed erratically against my chest. He hadn’t just said those words, had he? “Then perhaps we’d know the killer’s identity.”

  My insides froze; the world around me fading and all I could do was focus on him. He turned around and made his way into the classroom, leaving me alone with my paranoid thoughts.

  He knew. Oh God, he knew.

  My stomach twisted and I pressed my hands to my belly. I would swear on my life he knew. But how much? Surely he didn’t know about my powers. He couldn’t know. I’d never told anyone. Unless Grandma had. Was this some sort of test from the old woman? I wouldn’t put it past her. But that didn’t explain why I couldn’t read his mind. I swallowed hard and on trembling legs, I made my way toward class.

  There was only one other person whose mind I couldn’t read… Grandma’s. And that was because the old woman had learned to control her thoughts. What if…what if this Lewis…

  No.

  I froze outside the door and studied the classroom through the small window. Lewis sat near the back, his gaze focused on the front of the room.

  Could Lewis read minds too?

  He turned his head and looked directly at me, basically answering my question.

  I sank to the ground, my heart hammering wildly as I hid behind the wall. Oh dear God, and all this time I thought I was the only teenage freak.

  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 fifth grade, the day we’d moved here and my life had changed…for the better.

  “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 Annabeth 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.

  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.

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

  How did you ask someone if they could read minds? I’d caught him looking at me a few times, but other then a passing glance he’d seemed to have forgotten all about me. And it irked. For one moment I’d been admired by the female population. 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 jean; 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.

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

  I brushed off my guilt. Sometimes I forgot that Annabeth 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 Annabeth 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, Annabeth 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. 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 missed her now that the excitement of Savannah’s death had faded. Two weeks and still not one suspect. People were nervous, but less so, thinking the murderer had been merely traveling through town. For the most part, it was back to homework, sports and flirting.

  “There’s Emily,” Annabeth 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. 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 Annabeth’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. Emily tossed her hair back and laughed as she leaned in, pressing her huge boobs to some pathetic guy with dark hair. Yet, something about the set of his shoulders, and the curl of his hair seemed familiar. 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 was finall
y noticing 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 our way, 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 Annabeth’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 Annabeth could follow I darted toward the open doors and into the backyard, leaving Lewis and Emily behind. I was abandoning Annabeth 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. No, 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.

  The evening air was cool and refreshing. 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.

  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.