Contact {#wattys2016}

Chapter 21

"No." I told him. Brendon walked me around a corner and grabbed my arm.

"What are you lying about? Amber, I'm not going to tell anyone."

"What are you talking about?" I say calmly.

"Amber, you're hiding something. If you tell me, I'll save you the pain of trying to hide it. Imagine how crazy you could go...always having to worry about someone discovering your secret...it could drive you insane." Brendon whispers, taunting me with possible futures.

That couldn't happen...right?

"I'm not hiding anything." Completely not a lie. I'm not hiding anything. I'm simply avoiding using my power when he's around. It's not a secret. Anyone could discover it.

All I'd have to do is erase their memory.

"Amber, you are just asking me to find out." He tells me, moving his face closer to mine.

"There's nothing to find out." I tell him, staring into his big brown eyes.

"Kenzie knows." He says vaguely.

"What?"

"She's in on it."

"You're insane." I tell him, getting away from his interrogating face. He follows me, walking in step with me.

"Then why did she obey you? Blackmail." Brendon concludes.

"Delusional. You're delusional." I decide as I open my locker. Tasha is at her locker with a glare on her face.

"Is that your natural face?" I ask her, desperate to change the subject.

"Is that your natural question? Cause it's stupid." She retorts.

"It was just a question."

"And that was just an opinion."

"How are you today?"

"Bad."

"Oh why?"

"You're talking to me." If Tasha's smile died and then became a ghost, that's what she'd be wearing on her face. Her lips lie somewhere between hate and slightly amused.

"Okay then." I mumble, turning back to my locker. I trade my books before finding that Brendon has been staring at me this entire time.

"What?"

"Nothing." He replies, crossing his arms. "I have a Baseball game to get to." He tells me.

"Okay."

Wait a minute, we still have 7th period.

"Hey!" I yell after him as the warning bell rings.

"What?" Brendon turns around.

"7th period. Baseball practice isn't until after school." I remind him.

"It's a big game today. Coach got us out of 7th for extra practice. But you need to go to class so you;re not late."

"It's sweet that you worry about me but don't. I'll be fine." I tell him. He raises an eyebrow before finally turning away. I watch him open the exit doors and exit the hallway. Tasha is long gone, probably on time to class. I check my schedule and head to 7th period, ready to hypnotize myself out of this one.

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"Are you going to the big game tonight?" My mother asked at dinner.

"What game?" I ask them, eating another spoonful of Chicken Pot Pie.